I remember the blizzard that year fondly; watching the brightly colored list of school closings; snow practically as tall as me covering the ground; and though it only lasted a few days, in my memories it seemed like it lasted the whole winter. No snowstorm since has ever compared to the blizzard of 96. Measuring it in inches doesn’t do it justice, you can’t quantify the excitement and happiness a storm like this brings to a child.
There were no worries about shoveling out your car or missed days of work. Your only concerns were building snowmen, digging snow forts, and imagining Antarctic adventures. When you had finally soaked through your boots and two layers of socks you could retreat inside to a warm cup of cocoa and video games. No winter since has brought me that kind of joy.
As a whole, the year 1996 signifies to me a dividing point between childhood simplicity and a loss of innocence. Things got very complicated and hectic after this; my parents divorced, we moved several times, friends were made, and quickly lost. Life finally became some what stable again about two years later, but things had changed and could never be as they once were.
For years after this, I would hope for another snowstorm of that magnitude. It never happened, and eventually snow became less fun and more of a hassle. This blizzard was once in a lifetime and everything preceding it is lifetime away.
-ＢＬＩＺＺＡＲＤ９６
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[ORIGINALLY RELEASED DIGITALLY ON JANUARY 31, 2019]
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