First Snow!

I was struck this morning by the ability of children to be utterly amazed at the smallest things.  It’s only the beginning of November and we got snow last night.  Some areas got a lot of snow, but our NYC neighborhood only had maybe a slushy inch.  It really wasn’t much to get excited about.  But as we left our apartment this morning to head to school I watched my boys, elated to be wearing snow boots for the first time this season (which they insisted on wearing despite my protests), stomping, tromping, and jumping on every small patch of snow they could find.  They were gleeful, hollering to each other, “Look snow!  I’m jumping in it! Here’s more!”  On our way to school we pick up a friend’s two daughters ever day.  As I loaded the girls into the car they had the same look of awe on their faces.  “Look! Look at the snow on my mitten!” one of them shouted looking down at maybe four granules of snow.  As we drove to school they all made plans to build snowmen, make snowballs, go sledding.  I dared not burst their excitement bubble with reality.

As I made my way home after herding them into the school building, I thought to myself how pure their joy was.  Children find it in the simplest places and with the simplest things.  As adults we’ve really lost that ability. We’re so caught up in our daily responsibilities that we forget to take in the small miraculous things happening all around us.  Today I’m thankful to God for children, who remind me to take a minute to stop my hectic life, take a deep breath, and really enjoy something the way they do.