It snowed today, and for those of you living in snowy places that’s probably not newsworthy, but in our little circle this simple weather condition spread a ripple of joy and connection.

This whole ordeal really started a few weeks ago when we were making our Christmas market plans. We had gotten tickets for a small market in the Black Forest (one of the only markets you have to pay to attend). As the weekend drew near, Mark mentioned that he really hoped that it would snow that weekend (spoiler: it didn’t).

After that weekend, we kept having snow pop up on our forecast and Mark would get excited all over again, but the snow still didn’t come. This week while I was at a Christmas market with a group of friends (yes, we go to the markets multiple times a week), I mentioned Mark’s desire for snow to one of the girls that I had just met. She also admitted that she too was stupidly looking forward to the day we got snow… if it happened this year.

And then today, it snowed. Our group chat went wild with everyone checking in from different parts of the city exclaiming that it was snowing at their house too. I was out running errands and I hurried off my U-Bahn so I could catch a quick video to send to Mark in case it stopped before he finished working for the day.

As I walked home with a stupid grin on my face, I couldn’t help but think about how Mark had turned us all into snow-chasers simply by sharing his desires with me. Before mentioning that he wanted snow, I hadn’t really thought about it, but now the joy was contagious, spreading between us and through our little friend group.

I think so often we hold back from sharing our wants and thoughts with others. Maybe we’re afraid of judgement or being made to feel shame. Maybe we don’t think what we want or think or feel is important enough with everything going on in the world. Whatever the reason, I can’t help but wonder how much we’re depriving those around us a chance for connection and to feel our joy when we do this.

So today, I hope you share what would make your heart content. Whether you write about it (oh, hi!), tell someone, sing about it, whatever, I hope you have the courage to share a little bit of yourself. Maybe it’s something big. Maybe it’s something small. Maybe it’s hoping for snow.