By the time you read this, spring will be taking its first tentative steps toward rebirth. But as I wrote it, Washington, D.C., was experiencing one of the coldest, snowiest winters in recent memory. This marshmallow world was a magical experience for many of us. Staring out my window at the seemingly unending expanse of white, I realized that, far from being a downy blanket, the individual sparkling snowflakes created thousands of tiny points of light. Like stars glistening on a white sky. Quite a contrast from the familiar night sky. I sat for a long time thinking about how a simple shift in perception can change everything. …
