Blizzards and Blue Skies

The week began cold with grey skies and blizzard conditions. Blizzards can be treacherous and frightening.  But if you have the luxury of watching the snow from a warm and comfortable location, the storm can bring many beautiful blessings.  For me this week, the blessings of the blizzard were hidden in a slow customer flow which allowed our store some much needed time to clean out and get organized in our back room.  It also allowed me to take some time during work, to get out and "play" in the snow, cleaning snow off cars and shoveling the sidewalk in front of the store.  Providing a few minutes of service to employees and customers brought joy to my heart, and a "thank you" rose from a sweet employee.  
By mid-week the storm clouds began to part and blue skies allowed light to cast away the gloom.  Roads began to dry up and white snow radiated brighter days ahead.  Customer traffic picked up in the store, and our little reprieve had given us freshly stocked shelves and renewed enthusiasm. 
So, how can this relate to my life?  It seems that the challenges I face, nothing more extreme than anyone else must endure, don't just blow through my world in a few days, and clear out with the efficiency of nature's storms.  Spiritual and emotional  trials are much messier than the slushy streets during a winter storm. The tears that flow in months and years of heartbreaking circumstances, can easily rival any flood from an unruly river.  
What came to mind this week, as a reminder from the storm, was a thought I had as I drove to work the day the blue skies began to appear.  It was still very snowy, and clouds continued to fill the sky.  In fact, the roads were gross to even look at, with the snow and dirt and all else that had actually turned the pure white snow literally black.  As I focused on the road covered with black, mucky snow it seemed depressing and discouraging.  Then, I looked up to evaluate the skies forecast, and that's when I saw it.  Light.  Blue sky.  Parting clouds.  It was actually quite stunning. The trees were filled with snow and the sun reaching through the storm clouds illuminated beauty that was all around.  More powerful than parting the clouds, was the hope and joy that came with the realization that as I redirect my focus UP, things look brighter.  The moment sounds trite, but the experiencing of such a sensation, at least for me, was inspiring.  I felt a intensely vivid lesson of how important my focus is on what I will see, both as I drive to work and in my life as a whole. It is not just a matter of where I am in my journey, but what I choose to focus on, that will make all the difference in how I will feel.

Today, I'm still looking up!