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Winter arrived in Chicago on Monday with a vengeance. It was snowing when I left for work which turned a forty minute drive into a two and a half hour drive. It snowed while I was a work. The radio kept announcing we were going to have a blizzard. Offices were shutting down except my office. Jafar's office closed at noon. At two, I got a call from home telling me that if I didn't leave I would never get my car down the street or alley.
So, I made my way home. The trip was fairly uneventful and it only took one hour and fifteen minutes. It was pure luck. I just happened to hit the road when traffic was light. By the time I arrived home at four I was pretty tense. I had a tense morning drive; I sat at work stewing about being at work, and I had to contend with more snow on the way home. It had the makings of a perfectly miserable evening.
Jafar had started a fire in the fireplace. I popped dinner into the oven. One of those dinners that just bakes. We ate. I kept looking out the window at all the snow that had to be shoveled. Then it happened.
Jafar made his way to the computer. He was contentedly reading email and chatting with friends. I sat down in the big chair over by the fireplace. Jasmine and Gus-Gus were playing gently in front of me. There was no squealing or bark, they were just playing quietly. Jane was wondering around the tree. From time to time she would put out her hand and say "pretty." She wasn't pulling the ornaments off the tree, just looking.
Everyone was happy and content. It was reasonably quiet. In the midst of this miserable day, peace reigned. I sat there hoping that my kids would always be as happy and carefree as they were during those few minutes. For one brief (and believe me it was brief) moment, all was right with the world.
December 16, 2000 |
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