Lessons from a Snow Day

I'd almost forgotten what snow feels like.

That soft and heavy crunch as the flakes flatten into a bootprint.

A fluffy blanket for the earth that slides off your hand in a glittering powder.

Growing up, snow was a normal part of winter. And winter lasted almost half the year. (I will never miss my white knuckles on the steering wheel as white flurries blind my windshield. And we don't even talk about my ineptitude with icy corners . . .)

But this was the first snow I'd seen in years.

And it was magical.

I put on 2 pairs of socks, dug my puffy coat from the depths of my closet, and spent a winter morning in the woods with my camera.

These are the photos and feelings I brought back inside with me:

Spontaneity Lights a Spark

I didn't plan for it. I just saw the snow through my window and knew I had to be out in it. The cold was just brisk enough to brighten my face, and the sky was a clear, powdery blue. I walked the usual path through the usual trees, but their winter wardrobe made them just unfamiliar enough to feel magical. I was like a kid soaking it in through wonder-wide eyes. That happy energy filled me up and spilled over into the rest of my day.

Invigorated.

The littlest changes can make a big difference . . .

• Reorganize your desk

• Rearrange your furniture

• Find a new nook of the house to read in

• Order a drink you've never tried before

• Listen to your gut when it pulls you outside

Work keeps you productive, and habits keep you focused.

But a dash of spontaneity can brighten your whole day with a new perspective.

You're building your life.

So don't forget to enjoy it along the way.

Notice the Tiny Details

I was stopping every few seconds on my "walk" as countless things caught my eye.

• Waking up to cozy blue light as the predawn sky reflected the snow onto my walls

• The baby trees and twiggy sprouts in their snow caps

• A hidey-hole tucked in the side of a stump and framed with sparkling ice

• The textures of birch bark and snow-dusted lichen

Each one was worth a pause and a memory because I knew they might not be there tomorrow.

But why don't I treat normal days like that?

Why does it take an unordinary day for me to notice the extraordinary . . . when even a "normal" day is a string of miracles I take for granted . . .

• This pen that writes smooth strokes with sage-green ink

• The fingers with muscles and joints that can hold that pen

• The almonds I pulled out of my bag right when I needed a snack

• Also, there's a squirrel outside my window right now

Life is only as boring as you treat it.

And it can be wonderful if you slow down to notice all the tiny wonders that fill it.

Cancelation Can be Cozy

When I came back inside, I swapped my boots for my slippers to thaw my tingling toes. I ate some peanut butter to satisfy my sweet tooth and hungry stomach. And with my responsibilities in town canceled by the weather, I had all this free time that I spent doing not much of anything.

• Hanging out.

• Being cozy.

• Enjoying my snow day.

Cancelled plans can be a pain. Especially after everything that's been put on hold these last couple years.

But cancelations can also be opportunities to rest.

Spend it doing what you love with who you love.

Or maybe soak in some alone time.

Slow down and curl up. Be in the moment instead of rushing through it.

This is a gift of time, guilt-free.

The snow is melted now. Here and gone like a holiday.

But maybe my eyes can still be wide. Maybe my heart can still be full.

Maybe a snow day was just the reminder we needed to live every January day in a winter wonderland.