I can’t say I was looking forward to the holidays ending, because of the doldrums that inevitably follow a fun and busy holiday season. But I figure once we burn through January then we have one less month for potential snow. I took the time today to walk outside and appreciate what was a beautiful snow fall. The snow falling can quiet the busiest street, neighborhood or city. It never ceases to amaze me how quiet Chicago is when I stand outside during a snow. It’s a special kind of quiet, broken only by shovels, hacking away at sidewalks, streets and driveways. There is something unifying about it. I feel a kinship with my co-shovelers though I’ve never spoken to many and never even seen some of them.

As we grow up and our lives get complicated and rushed, we forget to appreciate the snow.