Snow.

A simple word to describe one of nature's most common occurrences.

This same word also has the ability to stir up fond memories. It also can create some of the most emotional responses to its decent from the sky, depending on the individual. As a life long Midwesterner, I have displayed the entire spectrum of possible attitudes, depending on the timing of its arrival. Anyone who has experienced snow in their lifetime has probably felt the same range of feelings.

Today, as the first meassurable snow fell, I thought back about some of the most memorable snow days in my life, reflecting on how times may have changed the individual to a degree, and how much of it relates back to memories of the Packers.

I remember running outside in my green boots, brown coat, and grey and red mittens as a child, just to make snow angels in the backyard with my brothers. And on the top of my head was my first Packers winter hat, which I wore until it shredded apart.

I remember an epic snow storm descending on Green Bay in 1985. While some sat on the floor of their house, others braved the elements and watched the game in person, with 19,000 other Packer faithful. I watched highlights of the game later that night on television, amazed at the force Mother Nature crushed northern Wisconsin that day.

I remember the first time I saw the Packers play in person. The day was November 27, 1988. My parents and I headed to Soldier Field to watch the Packers take on the Bears. Little did we know what awaited us. That was the day I was introduced to beer showers, thanks to some of the Bears faithful. And while the beer was poured over my head, the snow fell from the sky, almost sacramental in its effect of football in the winter.

I remember watching Lambeau Field turn into a Winter Wonderland in 2008. As the snow fell, I watched Ryan Grant run all over the Seahawks, and an old grizzled veteran make one final play for the ages on the stage where so many had been made by him before.

Not every snow fall stirs up memories of times past. Most of the time, it is just another day, with a job to go to or errands to run. But there is always something about the first snow of the year which makes me stop for a minute, look outside, and think about how many memories are related to the snow, and ponder what memories are still to be made.

The next time there is a snow day, when you are cursing while clearing the driveway, or angry while cleaning off your car before making the drive to work, stop for a second, close your eyes, and think about some of your favorite memories of the snow. I bet some of your favorite memories of the snow are about the Packers.

In fact, I can almost guarantee it.