It’s rare to experience a significant winter consistently when you live this far South. I tried not to get too excited last week about the possibility of accumulation in the days leading up to the storm. Forecasts were changing too much, and the ad space/media impressions must have thrived as meteorologists vacillated between GFS and Euro models. However, when the storm finally arrived, it did not disappoint.

I realize that not everyone was pumped for the snow, and I understand that not everyone benefits from cancellations. I feel lucky to still be in the classroom, and the joy of the snow day is as keenly felt now as it was when I was still a student.

By the time the snow stopped and the ice relented, Little Rock and the surrounding areas gained more than seven inches of snow. Four days later, it’s still not ready to melt. It’s going to take a few more days of higher temps to facilitate the process.

Thus, we celebrate.

I walked around Lake Willastein today, but I stayed on top of the resilient snow which has been reinforced by the nightly melting and refreezing after sunset. I’m off tomorrow, as the side roads have undoubtedly fared worse than my neighborhood streets.

What a glorious time to celebrate this part of winter.

My choice to deliberately slow down my days is proving to be the right way for me, moving forward, even though there are times when I am unsure of the next hour. It’s better than checking my rearview and staying anxious about the upcoming bends. So, let’s the appreciate the moments a little more this year. Or, if that feels too big, how about just this month. Maybe even this week? Today?

January creeps to an end, and we get a chance to let the cold air and snow remind us of the stillness that is accessible whenever we want it–more so, when we need it.

“In the winter’s silence, January speaks: try again, begin anew.”

~Ralph Waldo Emerson