A Fresh Coating

Today I am grateful for a safe commute home in the snow yesterday afternoon and also for the beauty of that fresh coat of snow.

I have always liked snow. The quiet beauty. The brightness. The way it cleans things up after the last snowfall has become brown and dirty in many spots. I like walking in falling snow. It's a spiritual experience for me if I take the time to be present in that moment.

The drawback of snow is having to drive in less-than-ideal conditions. By this time of the winter, we have all gotten better at our winter driving skills and also at giving slippery roads the respect they are due. When the roads require slower speeds, it is a good reminder to me to slow down in my daily life, to just breathe, to be there in the moment, watchful and cautious. But also full of wonder to be experiencing that moment.

I also like shoveling snow. I am so grateful to be able-bodied and alive and I try not to take things like shoveling snow for granted. I don't consider it drudgery. I consider it a privilege. Yesterday's snow was very light and fluffy and easy to shovel.

That is a good analogy for our days. Some are easy and light. Some are tough and heavy. Taking this day, just for today, makes it possible to get through. It is the weight of several days-yesterday's regrets or tomorrow's worries-that will stop us in our tracks.

Just for today, I will appreciate the fresh snow and the fresh day ahead.

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