One of my favorite life moments is to wake up on a cold, crisp winter morning only to find that a new, deep layer of snow is covering the existing landscape. I love to gaze upon an unblemished field of light, fluffy powder. I adore that fresh coating of pure white; clinging to the trees and softening the rocky summit line of our surrounding mountain landscape — only noticeable after the clouds break and the light returns with all of its blinding clarity. I delight in how the snow drifts and covers everything that I once knew as the native perennial landscape.
After many years of living in snow country, I find myself reflecting as to “why?” What is it about this weather event that so captures my heart and mind? Why would something as benign as the accumulation of phase-changed atmospheric precipitation cause my “inner child” to resurface?
At one point I thought the answer involved recreational pastimes, but my “middle-aged self” has come to believe the feelings originate from a deeper source.
White is, by definition, the absence of all other hues. It is the essence of cleanliness — an unblemished and pure beginning to a pallet of color. Our natural landscape is a melee saturation of colors and textures. There are so many color complexities that I dare not to believe they could ever be fully cataloged. Our daily, individual lives could be likened unto a similar complexity of color saturation.
When I see a new covering of white burying the landscape, it has come to represent forgiveness and an opportunity to let old offenses go and begin life anew.
As we receive each new blanket of snow this winter, I encourage and challenge the citizens of the Heber Valley to recognize all-encompassing, new opportunities to forgive past offenses and to move forward with cleanliness and optimism.
The Heber Valley is a small place. Complexities will inevitably arise within our dealings. The ability to forgive each other for those complexities will allow us, as citizens, to experience joy, fulfillment and the positive community growth we strive to promote within this publication.
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