Ladies & Gentlemen, the blizzard of '09 has arrived. And along with the blizzard comes cold hearted people with major road rage. But with the blizzard also comes people who are more than willing to lend a hand. Let me explain.

Tonight I ran out to the grocery store around 9:30 PM, right as the snow started rolling in. Thinking that I was still ahead of the game, I got in my car and made my way (very slowly) to Giant. Being a complete newbie to driving in the snow, slow might be an understatement of the pace I was driving.

I arrived to Giant safely and in one piece; I fought the frantic crowds at the store (it seems that snow, even in DC, means the world is coming to an end); and I got in my car to make my way back home

So far so good.

I was less than .3 miles from my house when I turn left on the road my apartment complex is off of. Something, suddenly isn't right. There are taxis in the middle of the road with their flashers on, cars aren't moving, and it is hard to tell the difference between the road and the sidewalk with the snow. The road is slightly up hill, but I can't figure out if there is just a stalled car, accident ,or if people simply can't make it up the road. People begin to turn around, a few trucks and cars make it up the hill, and now I'm up next. Decision time: Do I stay or do I go? There is a car behind me on my butt, so I decide that I will try, very slowly to make it up the road.

Failure.

Within in one press of the gas, I can already feel my car slipping. I am inexperienced in snow and not a good driver to begin with. This guy is on my butt, honking, and impatient... I give it one last try. There is no way.

I put on my emergency break and put my car in park. I step outside in the 26 degree weather and approach the car behind me. No one else is behind the man, so I figure that I can just ask him to back up his car and I will turn around. Problem solved, right?

The man rolls down his window and I asked him kindly if he can please back up some. He refuses to back up. I plea with him, his wife and kids in car, asking him to just back up so I can turn around. I tell him that I don't want to hit his car, that there is no way that I can make it up the road, and that I have never driven in snow. His response, "I don't care if you can make it up, my SVU has 4-wheel drive and I can make it up the road. I will not back up." Now I am in tears, standing in the middle of the road... my car is stuck... and I have a mean man behind me that is ready to ram is car into mine at any minute.

Right as I want to curse the city of DC and the cold-hearted people in it, a man approaches me and proves me wrong. He asks me if I am stuck and if I need help. He offers to push and guide me up the road and now I am in tears at this nice man who comes to help me. We leave my car door open so he can talk me through the process the whole time as we get my car up the road. Teamwork.

By the end of the .2 miles my car has shut off and the poor man is literally pushing my whole car up this snow filled road all by himself. I can't stop apologizing and thanking him for his generous effort.

He is just happy to help.

I can't make it into my apartment complex parking lot, but thankfully there is a side parking spot that I don't have to parallel park into. He guides me into the spot and I step out of the car. I give this stranger a hug, because it is the only way I know how to thank him. I am so happy. Although probably a little strange to hug a complete stranger, it was my first initial reaction to the gratitude I felt. We shake hands and the man tells me to take care of myself.

He walks away, still a stranger, and although I wish there was some way I repay him for his generosity, I know that was not what this man was looking for. He was simply a compassionate person, who was more than willing to lend a hand where he could. I have much to thank for this man, because I really do believe I would have been in a wreck if it wasn't for his help.... and if not in a wreck, I would have had emotional trauma from trying to make it up the road with this angry man behind me all by myself.

When faced with a situation where people let you down, it is nice to know that there are people who do care. We must keep in mind that a stranger is a friend you just haven't met and that when we see people who need help, we should reach out. That man not only made my night, but he could have made my life. Maybe I am being overdramatic, but in that moment of standing in the middle of the road, with the man behind me who wouldn't turn around, I could only picture the awful wreck I was going to get in when my car slipped and I lost control... (dramatic, I know)

For that stranger, who disappeared back into the blizzard of '09, I will forever be grateful

"The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little,drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom,but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more

computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships.

These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything

from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom.

Remember, to spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever. Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person might not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind."

— Bob Moorehead

"You're young and free and gorgeous and inviably laid back. We've seen you: the young woman passing by in the little skirts and the two tank tops (explain that some day) and flip flops: ka-smack, ka-smack, ka-smack. And the guys, with shaggy, curly hair, and knee length cargo shorts, ka-smack, ka-smack, ka-smack. It's like they all grew up down the creek from Dawson. There is a party in progress. Something lazy is going on. They live in some catalogue setting, somewhere else, not here. Their happiness and cheerfulness is sickening, but that's because you have sweaty feet and sore calves." - The Washington Post

I wish my visualize memory was extremely strong, so that when I am sad, I can reflect and remember exactly why I was so happy in the most wonderful moments of my life.

Of course it's easy to remember a time when you were happy and the bigs moments that have made you happy- milestones and such in your life. But it is the small moments, possibly leading up to the bigger moments, that make me the happiest. It is those moments, those subtle sweet gestures, that I have the most trouble reflecting upon.

When I feel down, I always remind myself to count my blessing and remember what I am thankful for, but sometimes sadness is just hard to shake. I wish I could shake it. I try to reflect on what makes me happy, try to remember, and sometimes the harder I try the farther away those memories seem.

Where did the happy moments go? What happen to the life that use to be so carefree?

If Mark & I have kids, other than the cute one you see above, I'm going to teach them about love a little differently.

I want them to see that love is not just saying, "I love you". I want our kids to see, that in fact, those three little words mean almost nothing when they are followed by careless actions. I want them to know, that they shouldn't base someone's heart on what they say, but on what they do. Coming from someone who loves to write, and adores words, this is a hard thing for me to admit- that actions speak louder than words. I do take words to heart- I think that words are a powerful mover- but words don't MAKE love. At least, for me, this is what I have learned.

Love shouldn't be taught by one all encompassing word. Sometimes I think I think the word "love" shouldn't even be used. Love to me is many things- compassion, respect, a mutual understanding, a healing power of forgiveness, a source of strength, etc. The thing is, love takes all forms and fashion. From the family we love, to the significant other, to the friends we love- we don't have to say that we love these people for them to know. We show it our day to day actions, when reaching out, thinking about them, caring for them. Yet, so many people say I love you without having any of these qualities in their relationships. And so many relationships and friendships have these things, without using the word LOVE.

The word love can be full of false promises- people say it everyday and then shatter hearts. People make wedding vows everyday- and turn around and break those vows. This breaks my heart. I'm slowing learning that the people who know what it means to respect one another, to care for one another, to be there for one another through thick and thin don't need words to know what love is- they know love because it is shown to them, in actions, daily. They don't have to say the words to know what a commitment means. They don't have to make vows to stay true to the one they love.

Don't get me wrong. I value the word love and I value vows- but sometimes I feel as though I value compassion, respect, understanding, and forgiveness most of all, because these are all encompassing of what love REALLY is. People who possess these qualities, have a good heart, and know how to love. I have seen too many time false promises of love where there is distrust, disrespect, and coldness. How does that and love even go together?

My kids will learn compassion, respect, kindness, and understanding first and upmost. And from these qualities they will become LOVING people. They will put an emphasis on how they TREAT people.... EVERYONE, including strangers.... and not the promises that they whisper.

Words are powerful, but the actions that we do in love, to me, far outweigh anything that can be uttered.