I honestly don't think there is anything more magical than the first (and usually second) snow of winter. Especially when it snows late at night when everybody else is inside sleeping. I looked outside my window when I couldn't sleep and realized it was snowing. I threw on some boots and a coat and went and stood in the snow for a few minutes. All of a sudden, a great calm came over me...it was just so peaceful, don't know if I can really do it justice on this blog.

I love snow, especially at the beginning of winter before everyone has trampled on it and the trucks have brushed it all off the road. I woke up two days ago and a blanket of snow was covering the ground. But my favorite thing is to see it and feel it snowing. I really can't get into the holiday mood without snow...I know I would be really bad at living somewhere where it didn't snow at all.

That's why I was so excited to see it snowing tonight. Even though we live a few miles south of Indy and I-65 is pretty much out our back door it's still the most peaceful thing in the world to be surrounded by beautiful white, swirling, frozen snow. I could even block out the interstate noise and just listen to the snow hit the siding on my house. And there was no one around. It was like I was all alone in the world, which at first is a frightening feeling, but suddenly you get this feeling of warmth and comfort, like nature and God are still in control and you're just this tiny little, almost insignificant thing, surrounded by this giant world. It's one of my favorite feelings in the world.

And for a while, all of my worries and cares flew right out of my head. The job thing, the health thing, the traffic court thing, the money thing...all gone, even if just for a few wonderful minutes. And the funny thing is, all it took was three minutes of being surrounded by frozen rain falling from the heavens. It's amazing how the simple things in life really are still the best things in life. Sometimes you just have to stop and remember what's really important in life and how not to take things for granted. We could all be a lot worse off in this world and I think it does everyone good to remember that once in awhile.

Here's my suggestion for a happy, healthy life: go outside and stand in the snow, if just for a few minutes, and let it help wash away your cares as it falls from the sky.

Just make sure you wear a coat!