BY MARIA LUISA SALCINES
“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” — W.B. Yeats
Last week, the Rio Grande Valley experienced a little bit of magic with snowfall.
The last time this happened was on Christmas Eve 2004. None of us will forget that night, because the snow made it feel like a gift from heaven.
Last week — for a few hours — there was nothing more important than enjoying the moment. Families went outside and took pictures. Some schools let the children go outside and play in the snow.
Magical moments don’t come around often. But when they do, they remind us to stop what we are doing and take notice.
We are always busy and the days fly by without us looking up from our tasks. Then the unexpected snow falling from the sky makes us pause and reflect, and we realize that we could simplify our lives more than we think we can.
You do have time for a break in the middle of the day or a walk around the block.
Sometimes you push yourself into thinking that you cannot take a break, and that you need more in life. This unquenchable urge for wanting more is a blessing, but it can also be a burden.
If having more doesn’t allow you to spend time with your family and enjoy your blessings, then is it really worth it?
Not everyone is destined to do grand things in life. If you take care of your family, grow a garden, guide your loved ones, and help those you come in contact with, it sounds to me like your life has value.
Life should be valued by the path we walk, the hearts we touch, the words of comfort we give others and our actions.
Don’t get caught up in believing that anything else matters. The rest is just the icing on the cake.
Learn to value the small insignificant things as well as the great things that you experience in life. Live your life ready and willing to drop what you’re doing to play in the snow.
Maria Luisa Salcines is a freelance writer and certified parent educator with The International Network for Children and Families in Redirecting Children’s Behavior and Redirecting for a Cooperative Classroom. Follow her on Twitter @PowerOfFamily and on Instagram at mlsalcines. You can also contact her on her blog FamilyLifeandFindingHappy.com.
