Little Gifts

We have a 2 hour delay here in Cedar Park, this morning.  Ice is accumulating as soon as the precipitation falls to the ground.  Schools and business do not want the Texans on the road.  Meanwhile it's -5 in LeRoy, NY, where our friends, The Colvins live.  My friend Christy, suits up in her Gortex and goes for a run, either before she goes off to teach or right after she comes home.   I tried to let my dog out this morning.  He got about 2 feet from the door..stood and watched as the sleet come down and turned around to come back in.  He can hold it until it thaws.  This animal is covered with the most beautiful black coat of fur.  He looks like a mini alpaca.  Christy is out running 11 miles in the deep snow..and my dog won't even go out to pee.  He hangs out with me too much.  I lost my cold coat years ago.  I shiver when it's 65.  Two days ago I was frolicking in our back yard talking to the plants.  It was 77 degrees.  I had on my shorts, shirtsleeves and sunglasses.  I was cheering them on, telling them that spring is right around the corner..do not bloom quite yet.   This is just a tease from the weather gods of Tejas.  They want you to think that you can peak your head through the dirt and stretch, but 2 days from now you will lose your little flowers because of the sleet.  The kids had a day off last Monday, because of the treacherous weather.  They made sleet-men and ice balls.  No, not sleet men with ice balls.  Or maybe they did..I was inside huddling next to the dog.  

It's nice when life gives you little gifts.  A 2 hour delay is like a sweetly wrapped present to a kid in middle school.  The child gets to stay under his mountain of blankets, until the frost eases so his mother can drive 10 miles an hour to school.  That is a gift.  My husband came home from a week on the road. First thing that came through the door was a vase with beautifully arranged roses and greenery.  Gift.  Luke sat down next to me to watch the Grammys and wouldn't stop talking, because he was so excited to see some of his favorite performers.  Gift.  I had to have him scoot out of the room pretty quickly after it started because Beyonce was doing a strip tease with a chair, but that's a whole other can o' worms blog.  I received a package from my friend Marti on Friday.  She is a talented jewelry artist.  She sent me several of her new pieces to wear or give to someone who may need a lift.  Gift.  Life is constantly full of this little surprises.

Even when things are junky..there is a gift in there somewhere.  Sometimes it takes a thaw and then a gradual warm up and then digging your hands in the soil to unearth the beauty in the ground.  It's in there.  Deep down underneath the hurt, anger, sadness and pain, there is a gift.   Maybe it's finding an old friend to call or lean on and then rekindling that friendship.  Maybe it's discovering your very own strength.  Maybe it's finding a talent that you hid from the world or put aside to raise the kids.  Maybe it's the confirmation that you are indeed a great writer, dancer, skateboarder, marathon runner, public speaker, teacher.  Somewhere in the living of life,  you just let the inclement weather erode your confidence.   Life is heavy.  Life is slippery.   I just heard the little kids next door laughing.   They are sliding on the ice on the sidewalk.  Their parents had to stay home for a couple hours, because school is  opening at 9:40  instead of 7:40.  They are sliding and laughing and well..ok now they are crying..oh wait, they are laughing again..oh..now they are yelling for help..and now they are laughing again.  

May your day be filled with little gifts, no matter what the weather may bring.

Tuesday, January 28th.  8am  2 hour delay.  

Here is my friend Marti's website:  www.bootstoobags.com