Seeing things anew

Christmas is a complicated time for me. I won't go into further detail now, but suffice it so say that the season has not always been a very happy one for me. That said, I had interesting experiences as I went to visit my mom on Christmas Day.

A few days before Christmas, it snowed about 8 inches where I live. It was a beautiful snow, and I enjoyed watching it fall and taking pictures as it did.

By Christmas morning, the snow had either melted/been scraped such that the roads were passable, but there was still a lot of snow elsewhere, which made for a stimulating drive. The snow gave definition to areas of the countryside that I typically ignore as I drive along the (mostly) interstate route to my hometown.

The white backdrop provided an interesting canvas, causing features of the terrain to 'pop' before my eyes in ways they never had, though I've been traveling this road for 30+ years now. I was reminded of a quote attributed to famous traveler, Charles Kuralt: "Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel from coast to coast without seeing anything." I realized that I had been traveling this road for decades without understanding the depth of interest beside the roadways: deep ravines, wetlands, firm stands of pines, deer-filled forests, etc. All of these places had existed before, but in my haste, I had never taken the time to really see them.

Thanks to the "white space" provided by the snowfall, I was able to see things previously hidden as I made my way from Point A to Point B. And while the snow had been mostly cleared, the remaining cold temperatures continued to leave some icy spots where snow had melted, so instead of traveling at the posted speeds, I had slowed, and the lower rate of speed also allowed me to see new things as well. I had never noticed the broken fence, the swollen creek or the depth of the vineyard. Gone from sight, too, had been the small "mom and pop" stores, those retailers who had avoided being swallowed by Walmarts, et. al. There was wildlife to be seen, running waters to be enjoyed, and even the occasional hiker, blessed be, who had pulled him/herself away from other distractions to wander out into nature.

Christmas has not always been my favorite season, but on this particular morning, I was allowed to see different views that changed my vision forever.

Look behind the everyday view, open your eyes to what can be seen anew, and be thankful for the creation at hand. Imagine doing these things on every day. If you can open your imagination in this way, welcome to a new year, indeed.