Some weeks there are certain phrases or words that pop up unbidden but that are nevertheless welcome. During the recent cold snap, “gratitude” tended to rise above the flurry of other words, in part because the weather was dangerous and problematic, even in mostly benign settings.

Gratitude was expressed for pipes unfrozen, animals protected, electricity and furnaces that provided warmth and heat. Food on the table, coats in every closet, and cell communication in case things got rough were all blessings. I was personally grateful for the fact that I no longer dairyed in such bruta...