Epiphany (well, at least a little one)

This morning, I was woken up at about 5am by a loud scraping noise on the street outside. Living in the city, one gets accustomed to street noises in the night. Sirens, beeping horns, garbage trucks, and the like. But those don't constitute as disturbing. Those, I've learned to sleep through.

This was different, an alien scraping that penetrated my dreams and drew me out of my slumber. I have to confess, I'm not at the best of my temperament at 5am. Infact, it's safe to say I'm downright grumpy.

I cursed, put the pillow over my head, and tossed around. I tried to burrow myself deep into the duvet. I sighed repeatedly with the cumulative frustration of all of life's weary woes. Finally, I could take it no longer.

I cracked open an eye. Sat up in bed and swung my legs over the side. In my groggy state, I felt around gingerly with my toe for my slippers. Finally, adequately mobilized, I headed to the window to poke my nose about.

It was a snow-shovelling vehicle, diligently paving a way down the avenue. Even as I watched, it disappeared around the block and faded into oblivion. Curses, I thought.

And then I took a moment to look around, absorbed the scene in front of me. And literally, my breath caught. Have you ever seen a snow-covered landscape in the night? Freshly fallen, and undisturbed. Glistening white in its purity. The pristine beauty of the moment just took my breath away. All of a sudden, my heart was brimming.

It is entirely beyond my comprehension, how even in the grumpiest of moments, the simple beauty of something like a snowfall at night can lift you up beyond yourself.