A Little Bit of Spring

For those of you who have lived in climates where it snows, you will understand what I mean by "a landscape done in blacks and varying shades of gray."  Without the sun, the snow - even though fresh and clean takes on the pale tones of the matching sky.  And although you see an occasional bright color on someone's scarf or hat, all is muted by the gray everywhere.

I came upstairs to sit where it is warm to read my scriptures this morning, and as usual opened the blinds to look out over the lake....frozen solid and covered with snow.  Even as cold as it is, there is the usual parade of people and dogs traveling along the lake's path.

I began reading and was distracted by a beautiful and welcome sound.  Children's laughter.  I looked up and saw stretched out along the path a line of children dressed warmly from head to toe.  There were several adults.  As I watched, they stopped right outside and began sledding down the little hill!  I watched, enchanted for several minutes and then snapped a few pictures.

It reminds me of one of my favorite fairy tales, "The Selfish Giant" by Oscar Wilde.  It is a simply told little story about a giant who has a lovely garden that he wants to keep all to himself.  He walls it up and posts a sign to all to keep out.  Winter comes to the garden and stays, while all around Spring and Summer come.  One day the giant hears a beautiful sound outside...the song of a bird.  He looks out and children have crept into the garden through a hole in the wall and have brought Spring with them.

The idea of the sound of the childrens' laughter in the garden bringing blossoms and the song of the birds and Spring has always stayed with me.  So when I heard that laughter, it brought to mind those images.  I thought to myself that while these cute children didn't bring Spring, they brought something lovely to my soul.  Is there anything quite as heart-warming as the sound of childrens' laughter?

Today is P-day.  A sizable portion was taken up with our Danish class....but it is worth it.  It is helping me learn this language.  After dinner this evening, we walked about 2/3 of a mile to a theater where we saw "Frozen" or "Frost" as it is called here.  What a delightful movie!  We both loved it.  It is based on (of all things!) a fairy-tale by Hans Christian Andersen.

He is much beloved here.  I appreciate him and his stories even more now that we have lived here for a little while.  "The Snow Queen," and "The Little Match Girl" are two of his tales.  In each one, I think we can plainly see that this tall, thin and lanky man knew the meaning of cold here in Denmark.  I have always loved "The Brave Tin Soldier" and "The Ugly Duckling" as well.  There is an art to telling a story, and those who do it well leave an impression one seldom forgets.

The magnificent swan doesn't look nearly so majestic when he has to waddle around on those feet!

SK's mother was that way.  I remember still the stories she told in our fifth grade classroom.  She was my teacher and I loved the lessons she taught me through stories.

Our Taylor grandchildren are fortunate that they have such a story-teller in their lives.  Their Grandpa Taylor mesmerizes them with his own tales that entertain them and calm them down for sleep. I know that they will remember his stories as long as they live.

Of course, the Master's parables leave powerful images and life lessons in our minds and hearts.  And he loved little children.  Do you suppose he took them upon his lap and told them stories?

I don't know, but I am sure that he loved the sound of their laughter.