It was a glorious morning for a trek in the snow. Sun sparkling on the fields of ice crystals. The air brisk and clear, chilling my lungs. The wind minimal. I donned my snow pants, hooded ski jacket and gloves and headed down to the lake in my neighborhood.
Truth be told, I needed some uninterrupted thinking time. What better way to find it than in the peace of a snowy trek. Snow quiets the world. It quiets my mind. I’ve always found peace in nature. Winter is no exception.
Like the famous picture book by Ezra Jack Keats, The Snowy Day, I left tracks in my snow. These footprints showed me from whence I came. It’s important to keep grounded in this crazy world. Know what is important to you. For me, it is time with family. Listening to each other. Loving each other. Helping each other.
As I continued to trek through the snow, I saw the uncertainty of life showing in each step. I wasn’t sure, you see, where deeper snow lay. Holes, sticks, branches, rocks were all cloaked in the white crystals. Hidden to the unsuspecting trekker on her journey this morning.
I’ve always shown, in these Camping with Five Kids posts, the adventures we’ve had as a family. The treasured memories we hold dear. In our minds. In our photo albums and scrapbooks. In our hearts.
By the time I reached the lake, I was breathing hard, heart hammering in my chest. Cheeks flushed from the cold. I recalled our family trips to the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania to go sledding, to hike in the snow. To discover frozen water falls and streams. We took turns preparing meals, so everyone would have a break. We played board games in the evening and flashlight hide-and-seek in the house.
My lake today was vacant. No sound. No movement. No ducks or geese. Too cold for them, I’m sure. It was a white canvas, a blank canvas. Such a canvas in life allows us to paint our own future. Each day. To hope. To dream. To strive for a better life. A peaceful life. Will it be easy? Probably not. But definitely worth the perseverance to continue.
I found my peace, if only for today, through treasured memories, treasured hopes, on a journey through the snow. How do you find peace in this crazy world, in your crazy life? Please share your experience in the comments section of Camping with Five Kids. We all need help finding peace today.