Silver Linings: Finding a Little Joy in an Unexpected Situation
Silver Linings: Finding a Little Joy in an Unexpected Situation
It was hard, I tell you, getting out of bed at 5:00 a.m. on a chilly morning. But the prospect of a (new) pet stain on my rented carpet was a pretty good motivator.
I managed to rise, grumbling, in time to let the cat out without incident. But then the dogs were awake and apparently eager to see the big snowfall.
Living in the subtropics for the last 20 years, I hadn’t seen much snow and hadn’t really missed it; I don’t care for the cold. But since, post-divorce, I moved back to where that kind of thing happens, I’ve invested heavily in long underwear and tried not to whine too much.
After pulling on sweats and scarf and coat and boots and gloves, I followed the dogs through the back door. They’ve seen a couple of minor snows since we’ve been here, but nothing like this. I chuckled as they bounded around in six inches, sticking their faces in to taste it, pounding the smooth, icy blanket into a mess of trails and paw prints.
Though it was quite a while before dawn, it was far from dark. The neighborhood glowed white from every surface, including the budding branches. It was still, except for the occasional call of a Canada goose.
The two smaller dogs got chilled and went back in. But my big chow mix was in his element and needed someone to play with. I ran around in the snow with him until we tired.
Catching my breath, I considered the moment, which of course was not what I would have chosen. Me as a middle-aged divorcee living where I grew up, outside in the cold because some critter woke me up in the middle of the night? I think not. But there I was, and I was happy.
One unexpected lovely moment, while priceless indeed, doesn’t solve what I think of as my problems. But it does remind me that all good things don’t come from getting my way.
Isn’t there a Stones song about that? You can't always get what you want...
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