This birthday girl could not really ask for a whole lot more. However, I got a call this evening from a number that involves almost all zeros and on the other end of the line was a message telling me that I don't have to teach tomorrow. Oh thank you, dear God, for this gift of a free day.
Thank you for this unexpected, wide-open Monday and for the opportunity to linger sweetly under the covers and then with candle and coffee and book. But thank you also for for this measure of magical, prism-y, sweet-smelling snow, the safe travels that delivered me and my family up and down birthday mountain, the azure blue sky and the pool floats that served as ideal sledding devices this morning, for the gut-deep laughter that ricocheted from the snowy banks, for the funny big black dog named Eco who joined in the cold, rosy-cheeked fun and ate his share of snow, for the goodness of relationship with my dear family. For all of these daily causes for gladness, I am ever grateful.
