Capturing the Moments


Isn’t the snow incredible? What does it bring to mind for you? When I look at the breathtaking scene of our twelve deer meandering their way through the wild flower and grass area I am in awe. Sometimes they linger to sample the leftovers of summer and it allows a glimpse into their beautiful existence. This is the winter of the “now”. I am truly in the moment and I want to take a “memory” picture, something to conjure up later on in life. What will my children remember about these moments?
When recently asked, my daughter, Michelle, remembered the sledding on our miniature hill that bordered our property on E. 96th street. The ‘mound” divided our
property from the subdivision, The Moorings”. This was the perfect hill for little ones sledding. It was steep, easy to climb, with an abrupt end that would plummet you face down into the snow. This mound of dirt or the “hill” as we referred to it was perfect for small toddlers transitioning into small children.
When I think of snow from my childhood, I think of going out for the morning to the farm hill. At the time, it seemed like Mt. Everest as I remember pulling the wooden sled up for one more run. We didn’t have snow suits and often piece mealed a winter outfit together by determining which sweat shirts had dried over the old furnace registers. The other memory is one from night time when my older brother, Jim, and I would make our way out to bed the cow- barn with fresh straw. I actually enjoyed doing the bedding; Jim and I might talk. I was lucky in that most of my duties were house oriented. The bedding was actually fun. Walking on the snow made this crisp-crackling sound that was the only sound around. I have always loved how quiet it is in the snow. Perhaps that is part of the lure of skiing. I hope to ski more some day.
One day last week, when I went out to shovel snow , I saw that Sam, my eighteen year old was home (car in garage) but now where to be seen? Periodically, I would holler in my hillbilly voice, “SAM”. “Come help me shovel. Where are you”? Perhaps a half hour later after Michelle and I had been outside shoveling, Sam emerged with his face bright red and head wet. He had been outside in the woods where the tree branches were heavily laden with fresh snow. “I’ve been enjoying nature”. We didn’t press him to help us at that point. The next week at dinner, it was lovely listening to him marvel at the beauty of the snow and those moments when you choose to sit and just look, listen and feel the moment.
We may not be sledding as much as we used to, but we learn to appreciate the gifts of our daily lives and to appreciate the small moments we will truly remember. Enjoy the snow, it will be gone soon and you never know when you will see, hear, or feel
it again.