Writing in a Winter Wonderland

I'll never forget the cold, cold moments of trudging into the warm house after a romp in the snow filled pit in the back field. Clothes wet, no matter how much the tags said they were water resistant. Cheeks flaming red, hair in disarray, glasses instantly fogging in the warmth. Tired, but happy. The ecstasy of the first sip of hot tea and a handful of crunchy Chex Mix. These are moments of purest family togetherness. Though the outside world rages cold and snow, we know there is a warm hearth waiting and the open arms and smiles of a family that welcomes us, wet snow clothes and all.

Isn't that our goal in fiction as well? To take our reader on a journey filled with struggles and angst for our characters and the growth they must sustain, but in the end can take their hand and lead them back to the fires of home and welcome them to the moment that confirms the values you have worked for years to craft and hone.

Such metaphors can be found in any season, but seem to abound in the coldness of winter. Maybe because being indoors, looking out on a blinding white world makes me so reflective. As your family gathers around the holiday dinner table. Possibly with extended friends and family, what brought you to this moment? The road of life is never smooth. Were there travel troubles? Relational issues that almost stopped you from sending that invitation? A loved one that is noticeably missing?

As the children romp in the snow, joining in on the one fight that generally won't get them in trouble, these are the moments that make the greatest memories. And often the ones that provoke others. As you watch your children (or grandchildren) whooping and laughing, what is the emotion coursing through you? Joy? Nostalgia? Perhaps a touch of sadness of something that never was?

Do you have a friend or relative that says your name in a special way that always warms your middle? How loved it makes you feel when you see that person just once in a while? Savor it. Don't let it pass it by. Hold it close and remember that encompassing joy like being wrapped in a warm hug even when that person isn't near to hear their voice.

Take these moments this holiday season and bottle them up. The scent of sugar cookies cooling on the rack. The trill of childish laughter. The fullness of family near and far. The warmth of a full fire. Inhale them all. Mark each one and file it away, so when the manuscript beckons and the characters again become front and center, each of these moments that have made your season so memorable can be pulled out, relived and shared through the pages and lives of your characters.

True to the theme this week on the Alley, as we share memories or moments in our fiction that have been taken from our lives, I ask, do you have a special moment you have bottled to someday share in written word?