Photo: KC Saling
I was born in California. I’d turned eighteen before I’d ever seen snow, and while the days got shorter in California winters, they weren’t as dark as they are here. Sometimes I feel like I’ve gone days without the sun. When it’s cloudy, the sky is a kind of dark pewter, and during storms like we had this weekend, it’s easy to forget that the sun even exists, and on the rare days it comes out, the winter sun is a watery, pale kind of thing, as if somehow being in the cold saps its strength.
And then there are mornings like Sunday.
For some reason, I was wide awake early Sunday morning. Maybe it was our persistent kitten, yowling at the door for his breakfast, or maybe it was just the first time in a long time that I’ve felt rested. I felt ready to tackle anything that morning – a hike, a new recipe creation, something.
But then I looked out the window and up the hill behind the house and saw a sky on fire.
Photo: KC Saling
We’re always wishing our lives away – wishing for summer, wishing for Christmas, wishing for school to end, wishing for that great job to come along, wishing to find our someone, our happy ever after – and at the same time, we’re always wishing we could have more time! Even though we know we can’t have it both ways, we keep wishing, and then lose the moments that are really special. If we wait for them to come to us, we’re going to miss the best ones.
I was up early, and I could have been productive, but this gorgeous sunrise was a moment to savor. And it was a moment to share with my husband, who woke up enough to have a cup of coffee with me and watch the sunrise and the sparkle on the snow, to share with me the joy that we could enjoy all this in good health, in the comfort of a warm house, with each other. Those moments are more precious to me than any luxury, and I’m so, so grateful I made time to savor this one.
What are the moments you’ve savored lately?
KCS
KCS
