Friday, January 14, 2011

The Meaning of Words



When it comes to words and their meanings, there are two words in particular that have changed dramatically over the course of years. What two words am I talking about? snow day of course.

Snow day used to mean vacation. Sledding down Barry's hill. Making snow forts in the front yard. Throwing snowballs at objects both animate and inanimate. It meant hot chocolate. It meant watching movies in the day time. It meant wearing pajamas all day. It used to be the best combination of words in the English language.


It doesn't mean that anymore. Snow day now means "what the heck am I going to do with these kids?" It means cabin fever. It means your house being trashed and puddles in the foyer, kids having to pee pee as soon as you get that third layer fastened. It means not getting a thing on your list done. It means torture.

It astounds me that two little words could have such drastically different connotations. My children - they don't see snow days the way I do - they see them the way I did. The question I'm asking myself is why? What happened to me? When did snow day become a bad word? When did I turn into my parents? The secondary question is what am I going to do about it? Barring unforeseen grade-skippage or accidental pregnancy, I'll be dealing with snow days for the next sixteen years! It's time I come to terms with these words.

What are they going to mean to me?

Frankly, I want them back. I want the old meaning back. I'm claiming it. Right now. I'm writing it here for all five of you who read this blog. Snow day is no longer a bad word. Snow day is my new happy place. Bring them on.



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