Snow Light

I could tell as soon as I opened my eyes–even though only the slightest hint of light was making itself seen in the cloudy, misty morning.  It had snowed!  Snow light is that magical, reflected light that changes how one sees from the inside!

The east wind–usually the bearer of rain or snow–had plastered the wet snow on the east side of the trees.

The snow highlighted the strong, arm-like branches of the oak trees, showing a picture of them that cannot be seen in the other seasons.

The sedum wore snow caps of white as the snow continued to fall.

Snow light reaches into the house in a different way than sunlight.  It reflects off the ceiling, off the glass of picture frames, and from the glass doors of the old pie safe cupboard.

It does not create shadows like a ray of bright sunshine.  It causes a glow that warms the house with happiness–like snow days for kids, like hot chocolate after building a snowman, like a fire in the fireplace.  And we begin to see differently.  

Is it a photograph or a pencil drawing?

Snow light is the magical reflection of light off snow.  It doesn’t change the way we look at things, which implies a conscious action on our part, but it changes the way we see.  

I had a brief written conversation recently with a person I don’t often see–some questions, their opinion, their honest view of a situation–and it was a new light reaching into my heart.  That person’s honest reflection made me see things in a different way.  I hope that all of us can see and be seen in a different light, in a way that cannot be seen at another time, and with a glow that warms our heart with understanding.