12.01.2025 | First Monday in Advent

Sacred silence falls with the first snow.

First Snow: Sacred Silence
“Be still and know that I am God.”
— Psalm 46:10
 
We stepped outside this past weekend to find the garden wrapped in pillowy white. The city stood still, cloaked in silence. Streets lay empty, the noise of the world muffled. In that moment, it did not feel cold, it felt sacred, as though time itself paused.
 
The garden was already in its winter slumber, yet never more beautiful than when draped in a blanket of snow. Flakes continued to fall as we walked, the crunch beneath our feet the only sound breaking the stillness.
 
I love how a deep snow hushes the urban world. Living in the city, you grow accustomed to the constant hum of traffic and daily life. That presence is unrelenting until the snow gathers, softening the edges of sound. Suddenly, there is quiet. Almost no traffic. Most people are tucked inside, savoring a pause from the noise of routine, embracing a rare tranquility.
 
We have a ritual of walking the neighborhood during the first snowfall of the season. This year, we were the first to step into the newly fallen snow. The little Doodle girl’s footprints marked the sidewalk, distinct and tender. It was a moment of grace and calm, a simple reminder that the best gifts are often found in life’s quietest moments.
 
And as the snow continued to fall, I was reminded that stillness itself is a prayer, inviting us to rest in the presence of God.