A Cold Smack to the Face

Fun Fact: Snow makes me giddy! When I first moved to Colorado for college (1995!), my birthday prayer (in September) was snow. We had so much snow they cancelled classes because the trees were breaking and falling on power lines and causing power outages across the city! I know they cancel life in the South at the first flake that falls, but in Colorado life rarely gets put on hold because of the snow. The gift of snow on that 18th birthday had me completely, over-the-top happy! Of course, missing classes to have fun with friends and get to know a certain handsome fella a little better, spinning donuts in parking lots, throwing snow balls until our hands were numb and sipping coffee together didn't hurt either! Snow=Happiness.

We just had our first snow of the season this past weekend. The world was blanketed in that gorgeous white magic and smoke from chimneys made the scene that much cozier. But on this first snow, in this particular season of my life, the last thing I felt like doing was bundling up to go out and play. The day was hard, not holding much in the way of happy, and I was worn down in every way. Even still, my mommy heart couldn't bare to tell my son no when he begged to go play.

Have you noticed how kids excel at finding the good stuff and then moving toward it? He and I bundled. We played. We laughed. When getting smacked in the face by a cold snowball, I was overcome by the gift my son threw my way that day. He gave me the push to go discover the good among the terrible when I didn't want to.

Allow me to extend the same gift to you -- go play, enjoy a laugh, take of hold right now, even if it's the last thing you feel like doing!