Not only is it ok to slow down and enjoy the moment but it's also encouraged by mother nature herself.

That the more extreme and terrible the weather, the more fun you'll have if you embrace it.

Nature gave us all a valuable lesson: we learned how to slow down and how to rest. Also: I would do anything for La Parada.

With all our technology and social media and all that crap, life still comes down to one simple principle: you've got to stay warm and have something to eat.

Taking the time to play scrabble and workout as a fam is really fun!!

It's more fun being snowed in with someone than alone, and even though posting stuff on facebook is fun, it's a poor substitute for real life.

I don't know that it was a lesson, but I certainly noticed that being waylaid at home for days makes you more interesting to your neighbors, and vice versa. I talked to several people I've never talked to in this apartment building, and we helped each other clean off our cars and so on.

As long as I'm warm and entertained, I am totally happy staying home for 3 days straight. I am definitely a homebody.

Cabin fever sucks.

No matter the media hype, it's never the end of the world. Before Indiana, I lived in northern New England, so this isn't a new thing to me. While I didn't learn it this time, it's always wise to be grateful for the good things (not losing power), and mindful of those worse off. And the nonsense and cruelty displayed by some employers in non-critical businesses never ceases to amaze me.

I was reminded that no matter how much a 14-year-old protests going outside to play, she'll still enjoy it once you throw her out of the house.

I learned that the social constructs around helping strangers and productivity don't come from human nature. They come from the predictability of our routine lives! For example, if a restaurant has a toilet for employees that isn't open to customers but a snowpocalypse survivor shows up needing a toilet, the owner may be more willing to share his or her toilet - and rightly so! Now, how real is that rule? Another example, how quick are people to call themselves lazy if they're not getting "important" things done? And how quickly and happy are people to abandon that when the weather and the city unallows them to drive? Clearly, transportation isn't the only tool we have to be productive. People must just be happy to free themselves of the burden of productivity and this is an acceptable excuse to! In conclusion, why can't every day be snowpocalypse?

Be patient. It's fun.