There was a nice surprise when I woke this morning. As I made coffee, I glanced out the crack between the blinds and the window sill in my kitchen and noticed the white stuff on the ground. My initial view was through that small gap at the bottom edge of the shades but when I opened them, it was as if I had been transported to another place. I was amazed how during the night, while sleeping, my world had been transformed. The drabness of winter had taken on a new aspect. The sleeping trees with shades of gray that all seem to run together were more distinct now, the snow sharply outlining the differences between them. That monotonous color of the trunks and limbs were given depth and character that were of course there all along but hidden to my view somehow. The white carpet covering the lawns in my neighborhood seemed to reflect light upward enhancing the contrast. It all seemed so pure and clean. Like a fresh start in life after so many mistakes. As if I had been forgiven and blessed.
Snow is so rare here. It’s like finding a gem stone in a mountain of slag. I know there are many people who have it for months at a time, and have a hard time appreciating its inherent beauty. I have lived in places where it must be shoveled and driven in and dealt with. Even when I’ve had to work at negotiating snow, I have always loved it for some reason. To me, it’s like a gift from God. It causes me to stop and look and listen. It brings me peace and an awareness of its power. As I sat on my porch this morning drinking coffee and watching it fall, it struck me as manna softly descending from heaven.
When I was a child, we had snow every winter. For 12 of my 20 years in the military, I lived where snowfall was common. These days, I feel like a stranger in a strange land most of the time. I feel as if I’m living an unfinished life. There’s a troublesome notion that I need to go home. As if I belong in that Ansel Adams photograph and won’t ever be truly at peace until I go.
Today though, it feels right in a small way. The large and small flakes continue to fall. There is an incredible cleanness in the air and the sheer beauty of it all fills my senses. I have so many good memories associated with snow. Rosy faces, cold hands, warm fires all make my heart smile. It makes me happy and brings me peace.
It’s time now. Writing about it all is a good way to remember when the days become unbearably hot but no substitute for being in it. I need to go back outside for a while and take it all in.
About Me
- Day Traveler
- I'm just an average sort of guy. I work in a technical field and often wonder just how useful it is to the world in the light of how complex life already is. Though I realize the perceived need of what I do, most of the time I long for a simpler life. I know it was hard for my ancestors to get by on a day-to-day basis and I'm sure they would be amazed and grateful for some of the conveniences that we enjoy today but you've got to ask yourself "does the world really need another electronic gadget"? Newer, better, faster, more bells and whistles. Stuff we are enamored with for the moment but quickly lose interest in for some new trinket that calls to us (and our wallets) with the siren song "try me, I'm better, I'm faster, I'm hipper and you'll love me". The simple life or the complex, both have their own appeal. To me, our society seems so much like a locomotive possessed with Newton's 1st law. A swiftly tilting planet. Though I don't want to get off, sometimes I do wish it would slow down.
6 comments:
I havn't been fortunate enough to experience much snow...but i do remember many years ago, walking at night in the snow. the moon reflects off the snow and made it almost as bright as day. Even though it was silent, you could "hear" the snow falling liek tiny crystals. ...an image that stays so clear in my mind many years later!
One memory I have is when I was hunting in the Cascade Range in Washington state. I was down in this little valley working my way up this mountain, to a ridge where the road lay. I'd been looking for deer of course but mostly just enjoying the day. I didn't realize that big deer had been laying just below the ridge, directly above me. When I got too close for his comfort, he just got up and kicked the snow as he ran off. Leaving a small snow flurry in his wake.
Priceless.
I have lived with winters and snow all of my life. I still am able to enjoy moments where snow seems magical. Fortunately for me, I am able to delegate much of the chore of the shovel. :-)
You're right about it being a chore simplycol. It can be work but what is life without something meaningful to do with your hands? Once the shoveling is done, you get to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Then.....wait a couple of days for more snow and do it again.
:)
It's so nice to have come across you ... always good to meet like minds and kindred spirits when it comes to appreciating the finer points of winter. If you wish to visit Narnia, you are welcome to enter the snow-laden realm of my blog, which contains photos from that enchanted land as well as a few ramblings from the White Queen's point of view.
Thanks for stoppiing by CountryDreaming. I really do love winter and am a bit sad to see it go. I've always felt akin to the definition given to winter by the Moody Blues....The White Eagle of the North. Now I'll have to wait for his return.
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