A Winter Present

A Winter Present

Everyone needs a good snow storm.
There is something magical when the sky opens up and brings with it a fury that lasts for days. 

In our neck of the woods we had been enjoying a beautiful, no snow on the ground, dry road, above freezing kind of November and parts of December. Uncharacteristic for these parts...
When you are known for your hardy nature just by geography, we were beginning to feel like winter frauds.
We were becoming comfortable...

Until last Tuesday. 
Winter storm warning.
Blizzard forecast. 
No big deal.

Our nature is to persevere and with that comes great compassion for our family, our neighbours and total strangers. For the most part, people are nicer, more helpful and more friendlier...and the weather gives them another conversation to have with total strangers. 
Drive times to work become badges of honour. Hours of shoveling are challenges to conquer. Grocery shopping becomes last ditch attempts to fend for our families. 

Random acts of kindness are rampant when Mother Nature turns on us. 

We dig out our neighbours, we drive kids to school. We push out busses and vehicles all in the name of showing we will not be beat. 

And that's when our BEing Present project becomes a lesson for everyone without them even knowing. So while in between curses thrown by some at the misfortune they have been dealt, others slow down and become grateful for the very small details in their lives.

We pause to reflect how grateful we are for a house and the means to stay warm when so many in our city do not. 
We are grateful for the ability to get where we need to or just stay put because we want to. 

We put the comfort in comfort food. 

We embrace warm hugs.
We wrap ourselves up with loved ones. 
We seek homemade peppermint hot chocolate, marshmallows are optional.
We hear the loud crisp sounds of snow under foot and see the breath that freezes our words. We are ever so thankful for Command Start...

Through it all, we reflect on the moments that make up our lives.

Take the time to think about who you love, what you love, and what truly brings joy to you and your family. 

Appreciate the small stuff and you will see how amazing life really is. 

BE Present.