A million little gifts
I have always loved the snow. I think there’s something magical about a million little white flakes dancing through the air, falling so quietly to blanket the ground and transform the world. It makes me feel like someone made a wish and turned us all over in a bright, glittering snow globe.
In the ever-charming way that Mr. Amazing and I are always polar opposites, he doesn’t find it quite so magical. It’s something I learned after we arrived in the mountains for our first date, on December 1st, to several inches of snow. He played it first-date-cool, and I tried not to notice his nervously tight grip on the steering wheel, or his muffled swearing when he lost his footing installing tire chains. But it wasn’t long before I heard the story.
When he was young, he went to a winter camp with his church group and all the children went out on area trails for snow activities. After several hours of sledding and riding snow mobiles, he found himself away from the group and alone. There he was in several inches of snow, surrounded by endless trees, with the darkness of night and bitter cold setting in. Not another sole to be found. Now he might tell this story as if he had no fault in the seeming abandonment, and maybe he didn’t. But we know boys, and his curiosity and exploration are largely unparalleled among them. We are talking, after all, about the young version of the man who genuinely considers applying for the series “Alone”, every season it airs. Nonetheless, the young boy who turned into the man I fell in love with, had to trek through miles and miles of deep winter snow to find the warmth and safety of camp. The fact that he did, I’ve always seen as a testament to his character, endurance, and strength. But I think he still quietly feels the occasional ping of trauma. Despite this, Mr. Amazing still planned our very first date in the snow, simply because I mentioned how much I love it.
As a magical reminder of our first date, and our wedding day on December 1st in the snow, we have seen at least a flurry at the beginning of every December since we were married. It’s something I can only believe is the very best kind of gift- second only to Mr. Amazing and I finding each other. I suspect even the little boy inside my husband is beginning to feel magic in the falling flakes. As we celebrate another year together I’m thinking about the character building and endurance that comes in life’s trail, and the happy memories and moments I wouldn’t trade for the smoothest path. Moreover, how lucky we all are to share the million little gifts along the way. And, tonight, as we sit watching little white flakes dance through another early December flurry, I’m wishing each of you a million little gifts and lots of seasonal magic.
Where we said I do.
