When I woke up last Sunday, I was able to enjoy my cup of coffee to snow falling peacefully outside, which is a rare sight for Auburn, AL, let alone anywhere in the southeastern United States. I was also blessed to be in the presence of snow a few weeks ago when I went skiing in Breckenridge.
In Breckenridge, I found myself admiring the shapes of the snowflakes as they fell on my gloves ever so delicately. Doing this brought me a sense of joy and nostalgia, as I lived in the Poconos until I was nine years old.
I know I am not alone in my fascination with the fact that no two snowflakes have the same intricate design and in my admiration of their beauty. The fact that snowflakes are all constructed differently, yet widely admired for being unique is fascinating to me considering that humans aren’t always admired for being constructed differently. There is no carbon copy of a human, or a “one size fits all” guide to life. Yet, we often compare ourselves or get compared to others - despite knowing we are all made differently and meant to be different.
The first few snowflakes that fall often bring out a sense of joy (ok- maybe not as much joy if you are the one tasked with shoveling the sidewalks and driveway. But, think back to the feeling you used to get as a child when you would wake up to your first snow day, or the first time that you ever got to experience snow.) We know that those first few snowflakes are most likely going to melt once they reach the ground, or at best provide us with a fine layer of snow, but we still get excited. We know that those same individual, almost microscopic, snowflakes contribute to what eventually is a foot of snow to play in.
When we feel small, or get discouraged about the difference we are making, we need to remember that we are all like snowflakes. Our differences/uniqueness are what makes us impressive, and our actions contribute to something that is a lot bigger than just ourselves.
Just as we admire snowflakes, we need to start admiring ourselves and the people around us’s beauty. We try and take time to smell the roses, so we can also take time and admire the snowflakes.
Mattie is a CFI/CFII and a Graduate Research Assistant at Auburn University, where she is pursuing an M.Ed. in Adult Education. She enjoys drinking her morning coffee, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.
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