The Winter of Our: Discontent

Although the temperatures have been below zero with wind chills even colder, tempers have been rising among just about all of us as the snow and our frustrations continue to pile up.

Yes, life is difficult in the city, where parking spaces are non-existent, tickets are being issued, cars are being towed, traffic is a nightmare, and city workers are being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of snow.

However, getting angry at our neighbors, fellow motorists, and city employees will do nothing to make the snow go away or make life any easier.  Reports of fights, acts of vandalism, and so forth should have no place among civilized persons.

The opening lines of Shakespeare’s Richard III — “Now is the winter of our discontent” — although having a different context than the actual weather, have never been more appropriate to our circumstances, even to those of us who well-remember the legendary Blizzard of 1978.

We urge all of our fellow Greater Bostonians to take a deep breath, grin, and bear it, as we always have when faced with whatever adversity Mother Nature has thrown at us.

In just a few weeks, all of this will be nothing but a memory, unless we act rashly and commit acts that will have consequences long after the last bit of snow has melted.