I recently spent three days in the Eastern Sierra during a late winter blizzard. It snowed four feet in 24 hours, and continued for two more days.
While the winds howled and the snow piled up, my husband and I were safe, warm and toasty in the cabin. With no TV, very limited cel service, and intermittent wifi, it was a rare opportunity to tune out from the daily distractions of social media, emails, and text messages, and tune in to the present moment.
It is amazing what you notice when it is quiet. The sound of life – of the universe – is all around us, but we often miss it because we are not paying attention.
The falling snow. Wind shifting directions. Dog barking in the distance.
During the day, we would gaze out the window, away from backlit screens, and observe the storm. Its power was humbling, reminding us that in this vast, magnificent universe, we are mere specks. It snowed before we were here, and it will snow when we are gone.
Whatever was important yesterday – a message, a post, a text – all of a sudden seems a lot less important. Priorities shift. We start to talk about “big picture” subjects: changes we want to make in our lives and careers, how to better use our time, goals for the future.
We relax. We breathe. We sleep. Deeply.
On the fourth day, the storm ends. We wake up to blinding sunlight. There isn’t a cloud in the sky. The quality of blue is breathtaking. Everything glistens with light.
We have all the time in the world.
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