Friday, December 09, 2005

A Glimpse of Grace

This morning was enchanting. Nearly a foot of fresh snow had fallen overnight, blanketing everything. As I was out digging out my truck and the walkway (a snowplow service does the driveway), the overcast sky was just light enough to let the rising sun paint everything pinkish red. I first noticed this looking west, away from the sun. The large white pines there, their green branches heavy with snow, suddenly became light a lighted Christmas tree. I turned around and was surprised not to see the sunrise, but the pinkish cast in the sky could be seen in all directions. I stopped and watched for a few minutes, kicking myself for not picking up any film yesterday. I probably wouldn’t have had time anyway, as the show only lasted a few minutes. As the sun rose higher behind the steely sky, everything returned to grayish tones. It was a grace-filled glimpse of how beautiful the world can be and a wonderful way to begin the day. Now I’m back inside, being warmed by a cup of dark Honduran coffee…

16 comments:

  1. Ahhhh. I love those days (and count my blessings for the digital camera I have for those moments).

    I envy you the snow. We wait and wait and wait. It's just cold here with no precipitation. Blech.

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  2. It is always good to stop and notice things like that.

    Here via Michele.

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  3. Ahh the beautiful world when it snows!!!
    Thanks for stopping by and your comment...you gave me a good laugh!! The Universal Life Church does sound like an Insurance Company!!! It's one of those odd things....that by joining, you can marry people legally....I guess I could have a Church, too, if I wanted....LOL!

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  4. Your post and the response reminded me of an internet email journal that has been passed around for years. After shoveling my driveway and doing my good deed for the day by doing my neighbors too, I can relate especially later in the season. It read as follows:

    SNOW IN MICHIGAN

    Dear Diary......

    August 12--- Moved to our new home in Michigan. It is so Beautiful here. The forests are
    so majestic. Can hardly wait to see snow covering the trees!

    October 14--- Michigan is the most beautiful place on earth. The leaves have turned all the
    colors and shades of red and orange. Went for a ride through the beautiful forest and saw
    some deer. They are so graceful, certainly they are the most wonderful animal on earth.
    This must be paradise. I love it here!

    November 11--- Deer season will start soon. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to kill such a
    gorgeous creature. Hope it will snow soon. Love it here!

    December 2--- It snowed last night. Woke up to find everything blanketed with white. It
    looks like a postcard. We went outside and cleaned the snow off the steps and shoveled
    the driveway. We had a snowball fight and I won! When the snowplow came by we had to
    shovel the driveway again. What a beautiful place, I love Michigan!

    December 12--- More snow last night. I love it. The snowplow did his trick again to the driveway. I love it here!

    December 19--- More snow last night. Couldn’t get out of the driveway to go to work. I
    am exhausted from shoveling. Frigging snowplow.

    December 22--- More white shit fell last night. I got blisters on my hands from the
    shoveling. I think the snowplow hides around the curve and waits until I’m done shoveling
    the driveway. Assholes!

    December 25--- Merry frigging Christmas, more frigging snow. If I ever get my hands on
    the son-of-a-bitch who drives that snowplow, I swear I’ll kill the bastard. Don’t know
    why they don’t use more salt on the road to melt the frigging ice.

    December 27--- More white shit fell last night. Been inside for 3 days except for shoveling
    out the driveway after that snowplow goes through every time. Can’t go anywhere, car’s
    stuck in a mountain of white shit! The weather man said to expect another 10 inches of the
    white shit again tonight. Do you know how many shovels full of snow 10 inches is?

    December 28--- The frigging weather man was wrong. We got 34 inches of the white shit
    this time. At the rate it won’t melt before next summer. The snowplow got stuck up the
    road and that bastard came to the door and asked to borrow my shovel. After I told him I
    had broken 6 shovels already shoveling all the shit he pushed into the driveway, I broke
    my last shovel over his frigging head.

    January 4--- Finally got out of the house today. We went to the store to get food and on
    the way back a damned deer ran in front of the car and I hit it. Did about $3,000.00 worth
    of damage to the car. Those frigging beasts should be killed. Wish the hunters had killed
    all of them last November!

    May 3--- Took the car to the garage in town. Would you believe the thing is rusting out
    from all the frigging salt they put all over the road?

    May 10--- Moved to Florida. I can’t imagine why anyone in their right mind would ever live in Michigan!

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  5. I wish you had been able to take a pic of it!

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  6. Don't think you needed to take a picture of it! The words are enchanting enough. Thank you

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  7. I agree with Pia. Furthermore, you probably wouldn't have been able to lose yourself in the moment if you were concerned with taking a photo.

    Lovely imagery...thanks for sharing the beauty!

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  8. thanks for your comments on my description.

    Ed, Loved your piece, but I love the snow and I've lived in places where the snow got a lot deeper than here (the town also had two downhill ski resorts).

    As for the camera--I haven't moved into the digital world. I use to do a lot of photography--but when I started writing more, stopped photographing. I've even been known to head out backpacking with a pen and notebook, leaving the cameras at home. Blessings to all...

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  9. i love my digital...always have film. the problem i now have is battery life!

    i wish we saw snow more often...ok, period. if we get anything it is ice.

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  10. Most definitely I love the snow. I love to ski on it, snowshoe on it, sled on it, camp in it, play with it, but for some reason I don't like the snow that I have to shovel out of my driveway by hand. Just wanted to set the record straight lest I be labeled as anti-snow.

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  11. when things get rough i usually think of the beautiful things even how li'l it may be.it make things easier. amidst a busy life it pays to slow down a whieand appreciate the blessings ..a glimpse of grace? indeed it is just a glimpse...coz life itself is the essence of God's grace.

    how are you Jeff? been a while eh! i know you'll be surprised me dropping by your page!!!!hehehe..advance merry christmas!!!

    -em

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  12. yikes! clicked the anonymous button

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  13. Something about a fresh snowfall - makes everything else stop - it's so peaceful and picturesque... Until it turns into that black slushy mess.

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  14. Your description is lovely and even more so your appreciation of the beauty in nature. Perhaps you could invest in a digital camera and share your photos with the world on Flickr? :)

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  15. Ok, to all you who have encouraged me to buy a digital, I'm just enough old fashion that I haven't yet gone there. Maybe soon? I still way too much money invested in film cameras. When I started trying to do a lot of intentional writing I found myself giving up photography--I now travel and backpack with a small Olympus 35-70 mm zoon weatherproof camera and leave the big stuff at home.

    Ed, having read your blog, I don't see how anyone could think of you as anti-snow, except for your first comment here...

    Transient Shadow, good to see you back... It's nice for both you and Jewaira to comment about snow, as neither of you see any of it without traveling a distance.

    SK, I agree, old snow is ugly, but it's beautiful when its falling. I love your shoes, but wouldn't recommend you wearing 'em up here right now, at least not outside (wear boots and change to them when inside, or wait till May when you can turn heads on the sidewalk).

    Thanks you all!

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