These are the Moments

Today was one of those most perfect of days. I was lazy all morning, doing the whole dilly dally thing. About 2:30 I decided it was time to get up to the canyon for my exercise. Last night we received a light layer of fresh snow. I assumed that the snow in the canyon would have melted just like at my house. Instead what I was presented with was the most beautiful and magical day. I don't know if my words could possibly do it justice (and I didn't have my camera), but I'll try to describe it.

The trees were coated in the bright white, fresh snow; some branches had formed ice droplets that hung from the lower portions of the limbs. Behind the trees, dark brown mountains were lit up by the sun, making the earth tones more rich and deep. The sky was deep blue with a few floating clouds which made for fast moving shadows. My first thought was, "I feel like I am in Narnia!" I couldn't believe how amazingly beautiful it all was. It completely took me in. "This is God's self portrait," I thought to myself. Have you ever been so moved by something of such immense beauty that it produces such deep emotion and completely penetrates you? That is how I felt today, and all by doing something as simple as walking up this little canyon.

As I came back down the hill, I was overcome with the impermanence of it all. The wind started blowing hard; tossing the snow off the trees, and dusting me with soft powder. The sun had progressed just enough to change the shadows. I began to realize that had I been there at any other moment, at any other time of the day, on any other day, I would have missed it all. As I rounded the last corner and could see the parked cars ahead of me, I found myself once again in a state of Gratitude. The only words that came into my mind....."thank you, thank you , thank you."