Moments D273: Cold outside, warm within

Today was the coldest day in the past two years.   A brisk -21 degrees Celsius.   A mere -27C with the wind chill.   Not bad at all for a winter’s day.

As I brushed my car off this morning from the evening’ s dusting of snow,  I realized I was smiling and enjoying the briskness.  My jeans were crisp,  my breath was coming out of me in a billow of mist and my nose hairs were tickling me.  I was smiling.

Yesterday a work colleague suggested he might have been a husky in a previous life.  We discussed the intricacies about why and how that seemed to be the case.  I realized this morning that *I* could have been a husky in a previous life too.  I was loving the cold.

On my commute, I saw a couple of things that made me smile. … each having to do with the cold morning.   Each brought a warmth to my heart. The first was a gentleman brushing off his truck.   He was a tough guy layered with a couple of warm sweater/jackets.   They weren't done up though, after all  tough guys don’t need to do up their jackets. Nor was he wearing any gloves.   As I slowed for the red light we made eye contact.   I smiled and he gave me a sheepish grin and shrugged holding up his hands, as if admitting he was silly to be dressed as he was.   I laughed and promised myself that this was a sign of a good day to come.

A little further into my commute I saw a Mom stop pulling the wagon behind her to check on the toddler bundled up in its bed.  They snuggled faces for a brief moment, then she fussed with the toddler’s hat and blankets, she Eskimo kissed the child and turned to start pulling the wagon again.   It was a beautiful moment to watch.

As cold as it was, I was warmed from within today. Many times over.  As it began, the warm moments collected throughout the day bringing me inner warmth.  A kind email, a deep discussion with my fellow “husky” co-worker, a delightful lunch out with an industry colleague, an afternoon phone call with my “other hand” why is currently fighting the flu….. the list goes on.  Yes,  today there was much warmth being shared.  So much so,  that I never felt the coldest day of the past two years.

Moments watching others from afar.

Moments appreciating people close to you.