It started snowing today. These were not the big, fat, fluffy flakes that drift poetically to the ground, making us each think we are living in the middle of a giant snow globe. These were jagged, sharp-edged flakes blown horizontally by a bitter wind… flakes that bit into any uncovered surface of skin. It was not really a fit day to be driving, but duty and people in the hospital called. My last stop of the day was at the home of a woman actively dying of cancer. In the last three days she has become weaker and weaker, now only able to communicate in a faint whisper. There are family members there at the home, collecting pictures and quietly making plans for the  memorial service that would soon be taking place. 

We shared a brief prayer and a moment of reassurance and then it was obvious she was tiring so I said goodbye, promising I would return tomorrow. As I stood up from the side of the bed to go, I looked out the window at the falling snow. In contrast to what I had seen of its nature earlier in the day, the snow I saw outside spoke of nothing but peace… deep, enduring, profoundly eternal peace. And I thanked God for the day I had been given.