Snow Must Fall

July 31, 2025

There’s a line from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem "The Rainy Day" that many of us know, even if we don’t realize where it comes from: “Into each life some rain must fall.” The same goes for snow.

I snapped the photo above last month on the Seward Highway in Alaska. All around us was a majestic mountain range, but what caught my attention equally were the yellow caution signs along the road that read, “Avalanche Area Next 2 Miles. DO NOT STOP.” They weren't meant for June tourists, but for those who brave that road on the other side of the calendar. What struck me wasn’t the stark warning so much as the calm wisdom behind it: It acknowledged the danger, and provided a plan. Don’t stop. Keep moving. It’s the only safe way through if the snow is sliding.

Of course, we try not to wander blindly into the avalanche zones of life. We study the terrain. We figure out how to get through as safely as possible. And when we’ve made it through a treacherous stretch, we mark the spot for others: “Here’s where it gets tough. Here’s how to get through.” Our kids are our fellow travelers on this road; when they're little, they're in the back seat, trusting we know where we're going. We gradually show them how we make plans, how we watch for danger, how we keep moving even when the world feels unstable.

Longfellow was right: Rain will fall. Snow, too. Someday, our kids will be the ones checking the map and steering the car, and our job is to show them gradually how to do it. Sometimes we post big yellow instruction signs, sometimes it's just a friendly little whisper, but the message is the same. “Don't worry, you've got this. Just keep going.”

—Debra Ross, publisher

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