People who know me personally are aware that I get up very early.  By “very early” I mean generally around 4am.  

Yeah, I know.  My friends (and husband) think I’m crazy, too.  

But I’ve always been wired that way.  Even as a kid I never stayed up late.  Kids in high school would talk about what had happened on Saturday Night Live and I had no idea what they were talking about.  I have always been a get up early, go to bed early kind of guy.  

However, I am not generally a “get up at 4am and go outside” kind of guy.  Still, a few days ago I got up and realized that I hadn’t gotten the mail the day before.  It was possible that there was some organic orange-blossom honey sitting in the mailbox freezing – a prospect that was not acceptable to me.  So I threw on a coat over my holiday pajamas and went outside to check the mail.  

Immediately I was taken aback.  Astonished really.  It was a total “wow-moment” for me because it was absolutely, breathtakingly beautiful outside at 4am.  It had snowed the day before and everything was white though it didn’t feel all that cold.  That happens where I live.  There can be snow, but if humidity is really low, it just doesn’t feel that cold.  

Holiday lights were still aglow on my street.  Stars twinkled in the sky and it was completely, totally, silent.  

Not a single sound in the air.  Nothing to break the peace of this pre-dawn silent night.  And yet, the snow was reflecting what light there was from street lamps and holiday decorations.  So it was more of a silent Light than a silent night.  

I love magical moments – experiences that catch you by surprise and take your breath away.  

For a few minutes I forgot all about the honey and the mail.  I just found myself looking all around me to take it all in.  I wondered if anyone else was experiencing this.  

I also wondered if anyone saw me standing there in Christmas Mickey Mouse pajamas looking totally lost.  

But no.  There wasn’t a soul around.  It was just me.  

I seriously considered going back into the house and quickly changing clothes to go for a walk in this magical moment, but I knew that would be severely frowned upon by my dogs in the house who would then start barking and then wake my spouse when he didn’t expect to be awake for 4 more hours.  So I trotted off to the mailbox (no honey,) retrieved the mail, and went back inside.  

Nevertheless, the experience moved me.  I was touched by the magic of the season and the stillness we can occasionally still experience in this world if we just happen to be in the right place at the right time.  

Apparently the right time is 4am.  

No matter what holiday tradition you practice (if any) I want to wish you your own magical moments this season.  I hope that your also find yourself taken aback by unexpected enchantment and silent Light.  

And I wish you and your family, a very Merry <insert holiday here.> 

~Radleigh