Grief & healing: Being practical can get you through ups and downs

I guess this recent January 2024 was the coldest and snowiest January here for many years.

It reminded me of Minnesota winters growing up. And my dear Baheej and I lived in Minnesota and Wisconsin in the late 1960s and early 1970s. So he learned the Minnesota ways on how to handle heavy-duty winters.

People in northern Minnesota are very practical. Practical about everything including snow and very cold temperatures. They prepare carefully for winter and know how to cope with it. When it comes, nobody is “freaking out.” They just deal with it.

Well, when we were getting all that deep snow and below freezing temperatures here last month, I was reminiscing about those Minnesota winters by phone with my sister. She lives in Denver now.

She reminded me of how we coped in Minnesota when we were growing up — that we used to go sledding in 20 degrees below zero.

We bundled up head to toe in insulated “snowsuits.” Fur lined boots, heavy mittens, scarves tied tightly behind our necks and covering our nose and mouth.

And that reminded me that we also went ice skating in that frigid weather. There was a “warming house” at the town skating rink.

Basically life went on, school was open and community events still happened, despite the weather. Social life continued unless there was a blizzard that blocked visibility. Town snow plows cleared streets, and efficiently put down salt to melt ice and gravel for traction on the roads.

Some Minnesota winter basics are:

• Dress very warmly.

• Respect the cold. Warm cars can break down.

• Drive on the top half of the tank (gas tank).

• Have good tires.

• Prepare the car for winter: antifreeze, oil change.

• Stock car with water, snacks, blankets, extra gloves, etc.

• Allow plenty of time to get anywhere.

• Be sure your furnace is checked for winter and have plenty fuel on hand.

• Keep extra food on hand in freezer and pantry.

• Have plenty of candles and flashlights and batteries on hand.

• Basically be prepared and stay calm.

Baheej was great at doing it the Minnesota way. Now I do it myself.

But the point is: Taking a practical approach to coping with snow and cold weather helps reduce stress and emergency situations. And being prepared is the key.

Even though we don’t usually get the very bad winters of the past, I think these old Minnesota tips about winter are still useful today. And it’s only mid-February.

We still have a good six weeks of winter ahead!

• Susan Anderson-Khleif of Sleepy Hollow has a doctorate in family sociology from Harvard, taught at Wellesley College and is a retired Motorola executive. Contact her at sakhleif@aol.com.