As it snows once again in late March, I sit in Gleason, overhearing snippets of conversation:
“Snow again?” one student says with a sigh; “This should be illegal,” her friend replies; “Only in Rochester,” the third one at the table says, not looking up from his MacBook.
Behind me, I hear another voice: “What happened to global warming?” the voice says, the grad student takes a sip from her coffee as she walks with her friend, who replies, “Yeah, isn’t the climate supposed to change?”
The sarcasm in their voices led me to believe that they couldn’t truly believe that climate change is a positive thing, could they? But we must face the fact that jokes like this may seem harmless but can have a serious impact. Nobody, not even Climate, should be pressured to change.
I was taught from a young age that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. Maybe I can’t tan in the summer, but at least I can save money on high-vis vests when I bike late at night, as my blindingly pale forearms are sufficiently reflective. Maybe I get bad acne every few weeks — but if astronomers can find beauty in the patterns of the night sky, why can’t I do the same with each pimple and zit?
Someone told me recently that Climate is changing, and that it’s because of people like you and me who don’t seem to care about the world around us. People who think that their individual actions are too small to have big consequences. But they do. How would you feel if every day, people told you that they can’t appreciate you for who you are? You’d want to change too!
We need to show Climate that she is beautiful as she is. When it storms, thank her for the drum of her rain and rumble of the thunder that lulls you to sleep. When it is so bright that you sneeze every time you step outside, thank her for the opportunity to clear your sinuses and your spirits. When it snows in late March … um, thank her for giving you one last chance to break out your favorite cozy sweater. Don’t change, Miss Climate. To quote the great poet Bruno Mars: “Girl, you’re amazing, just the way you are.”
