The Shape of a Snowflake

Swirling snowflakes had a strangely calming effect on me as I watched them surrender to gravity. Down they came, always falling and always gracefully. I wanted to stop time; a moment suspended in the vast blur of scenes in life. For a moment, I half-believed it was suspended.

As we killed time in our room, Tyler, Chrissy and I eagerly awaited the first snow fall. The weather forecast had predicted 2:00 am, but God had a lovely surprise in store... beautiful snow flurries half past midnight. I quickly donned on my winter clothing and slid my feet into my first pair of boots. Before I knew it, we were out the door and surrounded by a softened world. White powdery beauty enveloped familiar scenery... and yet it was so different.

Don't get me wrong... I've seen snow before, yet this time it was different. I giggled and squirmed, refusing to stand still out of fear I'd miss something. We ran around outside, fully embracing winter in all its beauty.

I suddenly felt like I was flipping through magazines and had stopped at a beautiful picture. Soon, I was cutting out the memory to hang on my fridge-- a catalyst for a string of warm, fuzzy memories... a thread woven into this fabric of life.

When we got back to our room, Tyler opened a piece of candy and in the wrapper it said, "Joy is contagious." I smiled. She said, "Look, its in the shape of a snowflake."

And that it was... the candy wrapper was the shape of a snowflake.

Or maybe it was joy in the shape of a snowflake...