When my brother and I were young, we loved to play in the snow, building forts and having snowball fights. We stayed outside till our noses were red, and our mittens wet with melting snow. Oh, did I say mittens?
Invariably, we managed to get our mittens covered in burdocks, much to mum's chagrin. Then one day, mum had had enough. She told us that if we got our mittens covered in burdocks, she would have us pick them off. Sure enough, the inevitable happened. Mum spread newspapers on the living room floor, and there we sat, picking off every one of those burdocks. I can't recall that happening again!
Years later, there I was, bundling up our two year old daughter to play in the snow. No sooner was she completely dressed than - you guessed it. She had to go to the bathroom! So, bundling her up once more, I sent her off to play while her baby sister napped. She had such a happy time outside, and didn't want to come in. Finally, in she came, melting snow dripping on the floor. I thought of burdocks on mittens and melting snow on the floor, then sat down to write the following...
For Heather
First snow - so clean, crisp, fresh -
Child-like wonder fills your eyes
As you watch "stowflakes" gently falling -
As you walk, ever so slowly,
Plodding through snow,
Bundled in boots and snowsuit,
I delight anew in God's beautiful gift
Now blanketing the earth.
Seen through your eyes somehow makes it seem so new.
Lord, help me not to lose this sense of awe and wonder
When I see puddles on my clean floor
And burdocks on mittens!
© Lynn McCallum
December 1, 1979
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