Winter Wishes

"The sound of silence is beautiful. All of the birds have flown to warmer places and even the clouds find the sky too cool: at night the stars are magnified against the blackest firmament. It’s magical."

Tonight was one of these nights; the freezing temperatures make me crank the heat up in my car and slip on my thick cotton gloves as I inch down the street, careful not to rub my tires against the curb as I try fixing my gaze upon the clear night sky. The stars are punched out as though only hinting at the brilliant light of heaven masked beneath the night. The beauty of the air, free of birds or insects or clouds, draws me to the window and beckons me to be its admirer, but my fingers and nose shriek at the icy touch of the gentle breeze. I retreat indoors where I will melt into my pillows and bake beneath the coils of my electric blanket until the stars are just images in my dreams. Two things, I imagine, would make this moment absolutely wonderful: a cup of steaming hot chocolate and a best friend.