I’ve been reading all the about -20 degree wind chill warning for tomorrow morning. We’re warned about frostbite that takes a mere 30 minutes to damage exposed skin. We’re told to wear hats and layers and gloves because the wind will steal our body heat so quickly. This is no joke. This is dangerous.
We must insulate! We must interpose!
These verbs mean to place something as a barrier between two things, in this case, me and outside air. The deadly combination of wind and cold is serious here! We aren’t made for this kind of deadly dance. Our skin cannot handle it. We will die out there. It is, like the national weather service warns, deadly.
It feels humbling and strange to realize our own frailty, to know we need protection. Against the reality of wind and cold, which man cannot tame or control, we feel small as we huddle together, wrapped up.
We aren’t the strongest or the most powerful thing. We like to think we are, and then, the wind comes.