MAGIC

 The morning was fresh with the bite of winter in the air. Everyone in the house was still sleeping, except me. I had already been awake for an hour nestled beside the crackling fire, which took forever to start this morning. As I sat drinking a cup of coffee, made from the fresh beans I bought the day before, the sun came up. At first, it seemed to move very slowly, then rapidly it appeared in full splendor. With the steam from my cup kissing my nose, I sat amazed by the dawn.

Gazing out the window, breathing in the wonder all around me, I saw it. It was a spectacular sight. There draped in the corner of the balcony, was the most beautiful spider web I had ever seen. The October frost had settled on each individual silk strand of the web, in such a way that it looked like strings of tiny diamonds. It was as if God himself had created a gift for only me to see. Magical in it's appearance, with the fog and the sunlight as it's canvas, I secretly wished that I could enjoy this splendor every day.

The morning trickled along like a running crick and so did my tranquility, which was quickly replaced with the sound of tiny feet coming down the hall. Looking up, I saw my youngest daughter, with sleepy eyes and messy hair, slowly making her way to my lap.  In anticipation, I put my coffee cup down on the table beside me, and situated myself in my chair for a different kind of tranquility that was tip toeing her way toward me. opening my arms for the warm hug that I was about to receive, up into my lap climbed a little angel, another gift sent to me from God. Very soon, one, then two, then three more children were waking from their slumber. The house was soon buzzing with activity and playful morning chatter. With the eggs frying and the toast browning, I found myself in a daze still thinking of that spider web.

Later that same evening, it was bitterly cold; so cold, I made the decision to turn on the furnace for the first time since the breeze of summer had appeared only four short months ago. Having already put the children to bed, I made myself a cup of hot chocolate and put some relaxing music on to soothe myself from the complex day I had endured. Grabbing a warm blanket and my favorite slippers, I proceeded out on to my balcony. I sat quietly and tried to sink the marshmallows with my spoon.

Amusingly, they popped back up with enthusiasm and I found myself giggling out loud. The night air was cool and crisp with the smell of damp hay hanging in the fall breeze. I curled up in my lounge chair and focused upward, waiting for a shooting star to dance across the floor of heaven. I soon fell asleep wrapped in my soft, fuzzy blanket with the never-ending sound of loons in the background. When I awoke in the morning, I found myself still outside. Slowly looking around for something to focus my eyes on, I realized I had gotten my wish. There in the corner of the balcony was the most beautiful spider web I had ever seen...