"For to the snow He says, 'Fall on the earth,' And to the downpour and the rain, 'Be strong.' Job 37:6
This morning I awoke to snow! I’m staying for a couple nights at my friend’s cabin to get some writing done. I packed everything I thought I needed…pens, journals, laptop. What I failed to bring was a jacket and snow chains.
I grew up in mountains like this and at a fairly similar elevation. It snowed just enough that it was always a gift. Sure, it meant that I was going to have to do a ton of shoveling, because my parent’s driveway is enormous! But snow on a weekday usually meant no school. And snow days were the best days off…period.
My sisters and I would listen to weather reports the night before, just begging God to lower the slow level. If it was 6000 ft. we were out of luck. 5k meant we were probably good. Lower than that meant that we could stop doing our homework.
Snow, for most southern Californians, is magical. It is like Christmas. We get so little of it, that we’ve had to create our own artificial means. And it works, at least it does on me. When I stand out on Main Street at Disneyland at Christmas time and the snow bubble blowers starts to pump out the artificial snow, as carols play and fireworks burst, well…I’m not going to lie…I get a little teary.
But nothing beats the real thing. When it snows, everything is blanketed in white. And all sound is muted. It becomes so still. You bundle up and light a fire. And you turn back to editing your overwhelming manuscript with a little more clarity and optimism.
Snow feels to me like grace. It surprises us. It covers over so much…a multitude of sins. It slows us down, even gives us an excuse to rest. It is clean and full of hope.
I’m so thankful for this snow day. It makes me feel like a kid again. Permission to remain indoors, light a fire, and do some serious writing/editing. I just hope it melts off by the time I need to leave. Next time I’ll remember chains.