Cause for celebration

We were driving Sunday, running errands, finishing our holiday shopping, spending time together and there was a hush over the city. The sky was grey, striped here and there with thin blue veins and there were few people out. Even the parking lots at the mall were mostly empty and we didn't have to wait in line anywhere. It was calming. For the first time in a long time, the world felt sane.

It surprised me. All of the worry about the economy, the stress of building sculpture for deadlines, the urgency of making sure all of our six children are adequately spoiled with tons of needless junk for Christmas went away and we were left with a focus on quality, on time, and on the space around us.

That mood has stayed with me and this morning, when I woke to an unexpected foot of snow on the ground, the world white and still, I felt especially blessed. Perhaps we are all taking a deep breath and the slowing down is good for us. Maybe we will spend more time with our family, friends and neighbors around meals we cook ourselves. Maybe we will move away from cheap disposable goods to a renewed focus on quality and durability. Maybe there is something really good in this period of our collective history. A new beginning. A quiet joy. A cause for celebration.