Cold: The Great Equalizer

One thing that I love about cold weather is that no matter who you are - rich or poor, fat or thin, guy or girl - once bundled up to walk around in below freezing weather, everybody looks the same. Anybody in a mismatched hat and gloves might appear homeless. A homeless person with a newly-found leather jacket could be mistaken for a tenant of my apartment. The cold simply brings us all to the same level, as nobody can escape it and we all must stay warm. (Except Bosco, who seems to thrive in the snow!)

Case in point: I took Bosco for a long walk through the park yesterday (which was the coldest day since we arrived here), only to realize once I got home that I had dropped my mailbox keys somewhere along the way. Though it seemed futile (and it was), I retraced my steps, ambling through the park and along the riverside, hunched over and moving slowly, searching for the keys.

A kindly-looking man with no front teeth and a badge around his neck approached me to ask if I was okay. Not realizing his assumption, I explained that I was looking for my keys, but thanks for checking. He then told me he was part of a homeless coalition and that they just checked on everybody who was wandering aimlessly. Yup, he thought I was homeless!!

I knew I was not exactly stylish in my leggings layered under thick hiking socks and hiking boots, topped off with my puffy ski jacket, but I didn't realize that I might look homeless in my attempt to stay warm! I couldn't help but laugh at myself.

In his defense (and mine!), homelessness is really a huge problem here. I thought Nashville was bad, but it is even more extreme in Calgary. We have learned to leave our glass bottles in a separate pile by the dumpster, as somebody will always snag them to cash in - often before we have even walked back inside. I can't imagine how these people survive the winters here, or why they don't move farther south, but so it is. The gap between rich and poor in this city is at an all-time high, and it is the one major downfall I've noticed here so far.

In spite of the embarrassing notion that I might look homeless, the walk was beautiful! It has been snowing off and on all week, and the snow has yet to melt. I still am not used to waking up and looking out the window to white rooftops and powder-coated pine trees. It's quite enchanting - until you walk outside and are hit with that icy blast!! Here are a few photos of my meanderings through the park: