Weather watch: The magic of the unknown

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One of the things I love most about the weather is how we, as humans, don't control it. It's one of the rare things on this planet that humans can't really tamper with too much - climate change argument aside.

Listening to Fox News lately the conservative hosts have been reporting almost back to back about the "double dip" recession. I'm no business expert but I believe that recessions are made far worse by simply talking about them. Human beings have a history of mass hysteria - we either don't care, or we overreact.

But when it comes to the weather there is something peaceful about knowing that no weather forecaster, with honest accuracy, can consistently and accurately predict the weather forecast more than two weeks out. It means that the weather is still something magical and exciting, even if you're an adult.

I had a fascinating chat with a psychologist the other day who was telling me that as we get older, we lose our innocence - our ability to just be ourselves, like we are when we're children. Money problems, work stresses, relationship issues, they all add up over time... and we spend less and less time just "playing" and having fun.

I think that is my utter attraction to the weather. No matter what is going on in my life... no matter how bad the economy gets... no matter how many friends I have, or have lost, the weather is always there and is always doing its thing. And the best part of all - because no one can predict with 100% accuracy there is always that element of magic that exists. The unknown. While, I believe, most of my forecasts - and forecasters - are accurate the majority of the time... there is still that little side dish that can come out of no where and surprise your taste buds. It might be a small but dramatic thunderstorm. It may be a cold front that suddenly drops a snow flurry into downtown Christchurch. It may be a single gust of wind that brings down a tree. There's always that element of unknown... that allows us to look up at the sky and feel that wonderful innocence we had as kids. That something much bigger than us is happening and we can't control it. It's humbling.

Of course - and speaking from experience here - if your tree comes down on your house the innocence fast disappears and money and insurance stresses quickly return.

So I guess my message here is, take time out to look at the clouds, appreciate the blueness of the sky, the whiteness of a frost, or the strength of a gust of wind. It's surprising how calming and peaceful it can be.