As I sit behind my desk, I can see the snow falling. Beautiful big, white flakes. And I know the woods nearby will be full of moms and dads, dragging their kids on sleighs down the tree-lined paths to where they can race down the hills… Kids will be squealing with delight as they hurtle down the slopes, accompanied by barking dogs and fluttering scarves, while parents cringe as they watch the collision trajectories unfold and fizzle out in yet another near-miss.
But what I am really looking forward to is tomorrow morning. A fresh layer of snow will hopefully have covered those thousands of tracks made the previous day and, as I set out through the woods at 8 o’clock in the morning, I will be able to witness one of those miraculous sunrises that causes the color of the world around me to change from ice blue to warm pink.
That will be a moment to reflect on this past year, the joys, the heartbreaks, the surprises, the predictabilities, the mistakes, the insights, the tough decisions, the easy ones – and to decide that it is all part of life. As long as I can feel confident that my intentions were good and that the intentions of those around me were as well, then perhaps I can leave the fretting behind. After which I will look ahead. Towards Christmas, family dinners, and a celebration of those we loved who are no longer with us, so that I can enter the new year assured that it will once again be like one of those sleigh rides – full of bumps, unexpected turns, sheer glee and shared fun.
