Appropriate day to mark our statehood

Beautiful Nebraska, peaceful prairie land ...

Well, most of the time.

March 1, Nebraska's 135th birthday, came in like a lion across most of the state, with roaring winds and smothering drifts of snow. Schools closed and sports fans at the girls state basketball tournament would do well to stay warm and comfortable in the state capital at Lincoln.

Now that we're on the back side of winter, one of the mildest winters in memory, Mother Nature is reminding us that we live on the Great Plains in the center of the continent, where colliding weather fronts can create harsh, dangerous conditions. In fact, if the roads delayed the delivery of this issue, please accept our apologies and plea for understanding.

But Nebraskans come from hardy stock, whether the Germans from Russia which settled the McCook area, or later immigrants who sought out another type of livelihood on the Golden Plains.

Perhaps today's blizzard is an appropriate way to celebrate Nebraska Statehood Day after all. Huddled indoors in the safety of our warm, modern homes, while the storm rages outside, gives us time to ponder the sacrifices of those who create the society we now enjoy.