Don’t you love snow globes? I do. They’re so darned pretty. And fun. And fascinating. And even fun to make. Well, as long as you have a daughter who has the craft gene helping you. (I think that gene skipped a generation in my family. My mom had it. My daughter had it. Me. Not so much. Oh, heck, let’s be honest. Not at all.) My daughter Rose and my friend Theresia and I experimented with the art of making hand-crafted snow globes last month and had a great time. And, like all those great times, it went so fast!
Have you noticed how hard times like illness, unemployment, and family troubles just seem to drag while the most wonderful, memorable times in our lives rocket past? What’s with that? Have you ever had a moment you wished you could freeze and stay in for a really long time? I guess that’s why we all love to take pictures. We want to capture those special moments so we can look back and enjoy them over and over again. I think that’s why snow globes appeal to us so much. The fun, sweet, idyllic scenes inside them are captured forever. Shake the snow globe, create a blizzard: the inhabitants inside don’t care. They know when the snow settles that life will still be good. Hmm. Maybe snow globes are a good metaphor for life. Blizzards blow through, but when the snow settles, we can usually still find something good, something to be thankful for.
So, have you ever had a “snow globe moment”, one you wished would just go on forever? I can think of several: great times with our kids, our wedding day, the night my husband proposed. (Actually, I suckered him into proposing but that’s another story. Anyway, he’s been living happily-ever-after since, so don’t waste time feeling sorry for the boy.) I can think of many snow globe moments when I think of Christmas because it’s my favorite holiday, and comes packed with lots of good memories. For me it’s the season of hope, of peace on Earth, goodwill toward men, of that baby in the manger, come to save us from ourselves. I think of last Christmas Eve, when I sat in the living room with my large, extended family — aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, nieces and nephews — all listening as my older brother read the Christmas story. I looked
around at the smiling older generation, at the rapt attention of the kids, all cleaned up and sporting their holiday finery and thought, “It’s gonna be ugly when the sugar buzz kicks in.” No, seriously, I thought, “This moment is so special I wish I could bottle it.” Those moments of “I love you” and “I’m sorry”, moments of wild hilarity playing silly games with friends, Mothers Day movie matinees with my daughter — I think about them and wish I had a special snow globe for each one. But since I don’t I take a lot of pictures. Now, if I could just learn to take those pictures without cutting off people’s heads we’d really be in business!
What about you? Have you got a snow globe moment? Will you be making some this holiday season? I hope so, and I hope that, like the characters in The Snow Globe, you find your own special holiday miracle.
Would you like to win a lovely snow globe featuring the art of Thomas Kinkaide? Sheila’s publisher is offering you a chance to win one as well as copy of her new book The Snow Globe. Click here for details.
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