Short story: Nothing for granted
Today I decided to write a short story. Enjoy. :)
Josh had hardly gotten his boots on before he tumbled out the door. The ground was blanketed with white from the first snow of the season and he couldn’t wait to do everything he’d thought about all summer and fall. Scrunch! The snow under his boots felt wonderful. He let himself fall back into a large pile with a giggle.
Yep, just as he’d remembered. The cool snow seeped through his coat and made the skin of his back tingle. Laying in the snow just like this was his favorite part of winter. Was it silly for a twenty-seven year old to enjoy laying in a snowbank? Perhaps, but Josh was enjoying himself too much to be embarrassed in the least. He closed his eyes with a puff of contentment.
He could hear the distance hum of traffic mingled with the subtle breeze whispering through the trees. Snow clung to the trees that surrounded the house, muting the sounds in a way that could only happen on an overcast winter day. The fain smell of pine from some neighboring trees between the houses shifted through the cool air.
It was this surreal feeling that Josh wished he could capture somehow. “Maybe I could bottle this up for summer,” he thought. He giggled until his sides hurt. That was a silly idea. He resolved to take every opportunity this winter to appreciate it. That would be enough.
He lay for a few moments longer sprawled on the pile of snow before lifting himself up and breaking into a sprint across the white landscape that lay behind the house. The snow lay uneven over the hilly ground and Josh hadn’t realized he’d stepped into a particularly deep spot. He fell forward with a laugh, now unable to run through the snow that went above his knees.
He pulled his legs free and trudged the rest of the way to ascend the highest hill before him. Reaching the top he scanned the view. Trees dotted the landscape behind the house and a now frozen-over creek lay to the south a little further on.
From his high point he could see the neighbors yards which were typically hidden from view behind wooden fences or the houses themselves. Off in the distance he could see the streets of downtown and the steeples of churches. It was an incredible view.
If only he had someone to share it with.
His face fell slightly. This was his parents home before they were killed in a wreck. He’d always walked up the hill beside his dad and mom when he was younger. Now they were gone.
Just like the snow melted quickly under the spring thaw, their time on earth had passed, and now he could only hold on to their memory.
He walked back to the house and looked around one last time. He sat down on the stairs he’d wobbled up with his mom as a toddler. He seated himself in the same corner chair where he sat at the table sharing dinner and conversation with his parents. He paced the kitchen like he’d always done as he recited his vocabulary to his mom as she washed dishes.
Walking towards the door again, he turned and gazed back into the living room. The house was still now. Quiet. So unlike the memories of the past. The laughter and memories he’d shared with his parents in that house would stay with him forever.
He was grateful that he had never taken them for granted just because they were his parents. No, just like he knew that one must enjoy the snow while it lasts in its season, so he knew to never take the people in his life for granted either.
Early in his childhood he’d realized to take nothing for granted. And for that he was very grateful.