Snow Dayz

My very favorite days are SNOW DAYS. Many folks find snow days a nuisance, yet the artistry and patterns in the snow outside coupled with family, fireplace blazing, and Christmas carols crooning inside are rare magic. You have to take those Norman Rockwell moments you when you get them, as they are so brief and nearly unrecognizable if you blink too long. These brief opportunities let life stand still if only for a day to let us be totally present in the now

An overnight foot plus of snow and blizzard conditions brought the world around us to a screeching halt with school/ business closings, cities/towns staying dark, and semi-trucks lining highways all waiting out the storm. Roads often drift considerably out here, but so long as there’s one passable lane, we get around with our big 4x4 truck well enough. In town, though, folks sit and wait for the city street crews to clear the roadways.

Rural homeowners know if power goes out, it can be several hours before it’s restored, so being prepared is a way of life. Stockpiles of firewood/candles provide warmth/light, a propane stove ensures hot meals, and ample farm equipment means moving snow is not a problem. My husband loves the chance to use his backhoe for these big jobs even if it doesn’t have an enclosed cab. This time, fortunately, electricity was plentiful and families were able to hunker down in relative comfort. Our internet satellite provided great opportunities to stay in touch with family, friends, and co-workers to compare snowfall totals and photos of indoor/outdoor fun.

Take joy in the gifts a snow day provides with a chance to stop whatever you were busily doing and just be somewhere without obligations, deadlines, or commitments. Take full advantage of these chances and enjoy the “free” time Mother Nature has given you. Finish reading a book or play a few card/board games with your kids. After all, when was the last time you play UNO for an entire afternoon?

Next time you find yourself marking time waiting for a storm to pass, a doctor’s appointment, traffic, or a checkout line take a moment to breathe deeply, listen to soothing or upbeat music (sing to the radio!) and thank God for one good thing in your life at that moment. “We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon – instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today. Become one in the present with all of the roses that show up in your life,” (from Excuses Begone! By Dr. Wayne D. Dyer).