December 28, 2010

I Want to Wash My Face, My Hair, My Hands With Snow

There's something about snow that never gets old for me. I love music about it, I love stories about it, I love standing in it while waiting for a bus until I can't feel my toes. Every time it snows the world seems fresh and alive. And I can't get enough of it. Sure snow slows everyone down and keeps people from going about their business like usual but I think that is a good thing. If there wasn't the occasional snow storm and no one never had to shovel the car out of two feet of snow how could one ever truly appreciate spring? Without snow, spring is a waste. And just ugly.

People give snow a bad rap. Snow replenishes not only my soul but the water table. It makes the barest of winters less strikingly dead but more like Nature is taking a nap. It makes everything move that much quieter. Even the wind has its edge taken off. I even really enjoy how clumsy everyone looks trying to move through the drifts.

When I was a kid we lived in Upper Michigan for six years. Winter lasted from Halloween to Mother's Day. To me winter is snow suits and power outages. Here in Albany all we get is one or two storms a year and in between storms the snow melts and winter is featureless again. One can't really enjoy winter without snow. What's the point without it? No sledding, snow shoeing, cross country skiing, and no fun. Instead it's just cold out. That's when I get the winter doldrums. Give me snow and I'm happy as a clam. So bring it.

1 comment:

dad said...

Nicely put. I loved Michigan, and I cared not for hunting, fishing nor skiing--it was all about the snow, and the many extra days of a fresh, clean world.