The Heat Index

“It is not just the heat. It is the humidity.” How many times have we heard this saying? Living in the south, you hear it almost daily most of the year. The other term we hear for a short time is the wind chill factor.  A formula determines what the temperature feels like to our bodies.  The National Weather Service came up with the formula used today.

I have no idea what 95° feels like because when it is 95°, the meteorologists tell me it feels like 110°. What does 110° feel like? I have no clue because if it gets to 110°, they will tell me it feels like something else. What type of scientific nonsense is this?

I wear a t-shirt outside, and my coworker wears an overcoat on the same day. I am certain that he does not agree with how I think the temperature feels.  My body tells me whether it is hot or cold. I do not need someone else to determine if I need a coat or a pair of shorts based on the weather.

I would love to have a job that tells people how it feels today. “Your dog died, and your car broke down, but it is going to feel great today.”  However, news stations pay good money to people telling us how the weather is going to feel.  Can I not just go outside and see what it feels like me?

We also allow others to do this in other areas of our lives. People tell us how we should think. Some tell us how we should feel. Others tell us what to do. When did we stop thinking, feeling and doing for ourselves?

When my dad died, some said I should be happy because he is in a better place. I would not consider my feelings as happy. He may be better off, but I am not thrilled that I will not see or hear him again until after I am gone. Sure, I miss him and go on with my happy life, but happy that he is dead is not an option to me.

When things have gone wrong in my life, some have told me I should be angry. What good does being angry do? I choose to move on and see the better things in life. In the same manner, I have heard people say, “Get over it.” Maybe that is how you feel, but you do not feel the way I do. Some people take longer to get over things. That is all right. Let them take their time.

Often people ask me how I can go through the things I have and keep a smile on my face. The answer is simple. I choose to enjoy life. That does not mean I am always happy, but I try to let the unhappy times be short.

What I am trying to say is do not let others tell you what to do or how to feel. It is your life. Others can influence you, but you have to make the choices and live with them. Choose wisely.