"I have a clear view out the window here at the Herald. I can see the changing weather, and sometimes when I should be working, I catch myself watching snowflakes floating down past the window.

Winter, with all its trials, can be magical. But as a Herald news story reminded us Tuesday, winter can be deadly, too.

The story told of a 2-year-old boy who wandered outside in the 15-below weather wearing only shorts, boots and a long-sleeved shirt. Fortunately, an alert neighbor called the police; the child was rescued and taken to safety. His mother, according to a police officer, was passed out on her bed.

A friend and I talked about the incident and were shocked at the woman’s seeming disregard for the life of her youngster.

Yet we remembered our own children. They always seemed to wake up at the crack of dawn; that was long before we were awake, so the youngsters had the run of the house. Fortunately, I was a light sleeper as a young mother; unfortunately, my sleeping patterns still wake me up. I say “unfortunately” because the sounds of my young neighbors coming home late at night laughing, talking, crying and sometimes fighting wake me up."

Get the Story:
COLUMNIST DORREEN YELLOW BIRD: When an open door beckons, few children can resist (The Grand Forks Herald 12/17)

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