Snowfall

It has snowed all afternoon and looks beautiful. This is the way I most enjoy snow: inside by the fireside, looking out at a winter wonderland.

But I know that if I were to venture out, the magic of the winter weather would be spectacular rather than just beautiful. There would be the soft swish of snow landing on branches (and my face); the mesmerising effect of the steady, gentle fall of the snowflakes, and the hushed atmosphere indicating the world has hit the Pause button for a few moments anyway.

Life is so like that. I might elect to remain a spectator on one of the many screens I can access, and I might appreciate it at a detached level. It is only when I plunge in and get busy, though, that I really appreciate the resonance of life – the feel of skin on skin in a handshake or a hug, the sound of tinkling laughter and the warmth of a smile.

Jesus came to give us life in its fullness. It’s a pity that so often I remain by my cosy fireside. I miss so much.