Last night I walked from the downtown core to a nearby neighbourhood to get to a friend’s house for whom I am house-sitting. In exchange for checking on her house once a day I get the use of her car. It took me about half an hour.
I do not own a vehicle and though Whitehorse is not a big city it is quite spread-out and getting around without a car is not always easy. Having wheels, especially in winter, is a big help.
After walking in darkness through the snow, the wind whipping my scarf straight behind me, I arrived at the house to find that my friend had neglected to leave me the key to the car. Or, if she did, she left it in a very good hiding place. I could not find it.
I didn’t completely lose my sh&%, though I was definitely saying a few swear words as I looked for the key. After searching the house and making a few phone calls, I finally gave up.
Feeling annoyed at having walked all that way for nothing, I decided to take a taxi back to my place. I’d only had 6 hours of sleep the night before and a full 12 days of travel before that. I felt exhausted. And though I’d enjoyed the walk there, trudging back home through the snow was not an option.
As I stood in her driveway waiting for the cab, I said a little prayer for acceptance and my irritation subsided. This was not the end of the world! I breathed in the fresh, cool air. Through the black night I could see the mountains in the distance, looming over the city like giant, shadowy ghosts.
Then I noticed that one of the trees in my friend’s yard had sprouted little mounds of snow. I looked more closely. All its leaves were gone, obviously, but the tree was still full of little bunches of berries. With each snowfall, each berry-clump had accumulated its own miniature pile of snow.
When regarded as a whole, the tree looked like it was growing great puffs of cotton.
I smiled. I may even have laughed. It was so silly! This was the cutest tree I’d ever seen.
Just then, a friend walked by. I smiled at him and he smiled back. When he asked what I was doing I didn’t bemoan my situation or bad-mouth my friend, I simply told him I was waiting for my ride.
Now, it must be said, for me, that is truly a miracle. Thank you, cotton tree!
Inspiring Message of the Day: When I’m feeling irritable it sure helps find something to make me laugh. Silly things are a good cure for grumpiness.
