Everytime I look out the window to see the results of the falling snow I am hard pressed to not go back in time when life was a bit simpler. That cold hits your face like only Old Man Winter can and you are awakened with a brush of mother nature. Its one feeling I've always enjoyed. Even with all the news saying how bad this storm will be, I took solace in a cold, silent walk down to my stop. Feet in boots brushing along the fresh powder down the sidewalk. Making the first tracks in the few inches that lay on the ground. Sounds muffled by a foot or so of snow on cars, buildings, and roads. Smoke billowing from houses with fireplaces and furnaces going. I mean, I'm from Philly. We're winter people. Even as much as I like warm and tropical, I think the cold months make me who I am. I would be at a loss to think of a much better time during my adolescent years than going out on snowy nights and hanging out with my buddies in the neighborhood. Coming in the house frozen to the core. Mom always saying "don't be walking all through the house tracking snow everywhere. stop right there." We'd always come in the back door because thats where our furnace was at. Strip down to your long johns. And put all the clothes in the dryer or near the heater and just let that warmth sink back into your body. Its almost a calming feeling. The quiet. The warmth. The cold leaving your face. I think back to those years to kind of relive a time that was quite simple and so pure.
I think we always like to be the first to make our mark in the snow. Sometimes the snow stops and what you did is left for everyone to see. Sometimes, like the tide to sand, the snow keeps falling and you are left to rewrite your creations.
"When I no longer thrill to the first snow of the season, I'll know I'm growing old." - Lady Bird Johnson
4 comments:
Paraphrasing a poem/spoken song from my hero Eddie Vedder...
when he was six he believed that the moon overhead followed him
by nine he had deciphered the illusion, trading magic for fact
no tradebacks...
so this is what it's like to be an adult
if he only knew now what he knew then...
the biggest challenge about being older is thinking younger.
TFor3
Great post, especially in a time when most people we're annoyed with the weather. Simply waiting for the warm temperatures, beaches & cool water. But have we been lost within ourselves our society and our world that we take for granite the cold wind against our face? We tend to stop and admire the untouched snow or pause to think of taking off your cold and wet boots to put on socks straight from the dryer.
Now you know I lost a faculty member today. Yet, is that what we need to awake to who we are & what we should be thankful for? Isn't each day a gift, an experience, an opportunity to become a better individual within our society?!
Yet, how many times do we pause when we slide out of bed and realize we opened our eyes or took that first breath?
We had snow Sunday night into Monday. Many people were annoyed with the weather, the headaches. Did we not wake up today with ourselves still in tact? (Albeit a little sore!)
Saint, continue to see the untouched snow, feel the cool breath of mother nature on your cheek and reminisce about hanging out with your buddies!
Principal
Just now saw this. Thanks.
Tom, thank you for your reply. I was caught up and am just now visiting. Your wise words do not go unheard.
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