It was a question used as a writing prompt to create outrageous scenarios: would you rather wear a bathing suit in a snowstorm or a snowsuit to the beach?
Which one would you choose? Give it a moment, if you need to. I would choose the snowstorm every time. Yes, every time. Why? Because I turn into a dripping mess in the heat.
A glance through our vacation pictures will bear me out. It's rather unfortunate that our favourite holiday destinations have often been in hot or humid climates, so while my family seems to always look their best, most of the time I look like a drowned rat. The heat zaps me of energy, it causes me to lose my appetite, my hair falls flat, and my complexion makes me an easy target for the rays.
I have missed out on days at the beach because I have had to stay at the campsite or back in the room nursing a bad sunburn. I have been the one slowing the group down as we made our way through theme parks when the sprint in my step in the morning became lumbering by mid-afternoon. And it's frustrating to try and get me to eat when high-priced meals meet zero appetite.
The event that my family says best epitomizes my inability to handle heat was a summer afternoon in Florida. The temperature on that particular day exceeded the already-high seasonal average and I felt like the humidity was choking out the last bit of oxygen from my lungs.
We were sitting in an amphitheater watching a stunt show. Our seats were at the front near the bottom of the bowl where there was absolutely no air movement. I would have given anything for a slight breeze to glide over us but there was none. Then, for good measure, the show incorporated all kinds of massive explosions in the impressive display.
Fireball after fireball erupted on stage and with each special effect a short burst of additional heat blasted our faces. Ahh, good times.
The thing is, I love summer. As long as there's some occasional shade, good quality sunscreen and a steady supply of cool water, I am good to go. But that's the key — you have to have the right gear to confront the elements. Which, of course, a bathing suit in a snowstorm is not.
Yet what is simply meant to be a silly writing scenario for some, is far too great a reality for others when we think of all the people who are left to withstand harsh situations without sufficient provision. They lack proper clothing, adequate nutrition, or access to a decent water supply. They have insufficient health care. Little education.
Too many simply don’t have what they need for basic survival. A bathing suit against a raging snowstorm.
Rewriting the scenario would seem to start with some pretty basic math: those that have more than they need should strive to live with less so that others can have at least some. But we also need to ensure that what we are ready to give is appropriate to the situation. While it might be easy to simply give away what we don’t want anymore, it can be tougher to meet needs that are actually there if we haven’t made the effort to find out what is truly needed.
We want to rise to what the situation necessitates. A plane load of stuff to a disaster zone can be a blessing or a burden, depending on what the situation on the ground requires. Sometimes the need is canned goods. Sometimes the need is cash. The same goes for responding to our neighbours when the unthinkable happens. Sometimes the need is clothing and housewares. Sometimes its coffee and a hug. We simply need to ask.
The idea of someone possessing little more than a swimsuit when so much more is needed is not merely the set-up to a writing prompt. It is the reality a significant percentage of our population finds itself in. But there are things we can do. It might require sacrifice on our part, but it could be life-changing for someone else. Imagine if we were all part of an effort to make sure that the ones who need the snowsuit, are the ones that receive it. That’s my outlook.
