This morning a branch fell on the roof. Or a whole bunch of branches from what it sounded like. This has happened before and although this time the entire house didn’t shudder, the noise was significant. It was only just beginning to get light outside, so I wasn’t able to easily go out and assess any damage. While I waited for the sun to come up just a bit more, I texted James to let him know that something had hit the roof and we might have damage (again). I also fretted over the plans we had for today (actual plans!), worried that a branch through the roof would surely prevent us from going to see the kids for our socially-distanced, outdoor Christmas together. I also found myself feeling frustrated at the financial implications, knowing we’d have to pay our deductible (again) and that we’d be dealing with clean up for the day.

Basically, within mere moments of the thud on the roof, I was already wound up about the hassle this natural event was causing on our home, our day, and our bank account.

As soon as it was lightly grey outside, Trudy and I headed out the door. Finding nothing on the roof at the front of the house, we went out to the back deck where the huge branch had been most visible the last time one fell on the roof. Only this time there was nothing. Nothing. No.Thing. We went back out the front of the house and circled the house looking for any branches that must have hit the roof and slid off. Nada.

I texted the husband, who had been at the ready to come home, to let him know there was no need. There was apparently no crisis afterall.

I have no idea what caused such a significant sound on the roof. Perhaps Santa himself was flying over on his way to start delivering packages (what?! Michigan is too on the way from the North Pole to wherever he starts, and maybe he got a head start this year knowing he’d have to mask up before going down each chimney…) Maybe some packages fell off onto my roof and then he swooped back to pick them up so while I heard a sound, there was nothing to actually see when I got out there.

All I know, is that I have no crisis this morning. Our plans for the day are not altered. Our bank account is intact. There won’t be any clean up or dealing with tarping the roof this afternoon. James doesn’t have to leave work to come deal with patching the roof. I panicked for nothing. And while I’m glad I was prepping myself to deal with the situation at hand, it’s frustrating that I let it go so far before validating that there was actually a crisis to contend with.

Today, I will be blessed by many things, the best of which is time with family. But I’m also blessed by that which didn’t happen. I’m blessed by the lack of a crisis. By the No.Thing upon my roof. Today I am blessed by a very loud noise that turned out to be even less than a little thing. It turned out to be nothing at all and that is a blessed no thing indeed.