Snow Fixation

"Snow provokes responses
that reach right back to childhood."
~ Andy Goldsworthy

 When researching a quote to express my feelings about snow,
this one was spot-on.
I don't know what comes over me.
When enveloped by the white stuff,
I am six years old again.

I grew up with snow.  Lots of snow.
Living in the suburbs of Chicago as a child,
we were inundated with snow almost every winter.
It was enchanting then, as it is now.

 Perhaps this love affair will fade over time,
as winter continues
and is more a factor in our daily lives.
But I'm thinking 
that because I was deprived  of this spell-binding precipitation for forty-odd years,
it will remain something wonderful 
for the rest of my life.

 It humbles me, to know that God created this beautiful winter blanket,
to transform the Earth as we know it,
into a sublime spiritual sanctuary.
What a gift, this season.

During the holidays,
when things get frantic,
it's almost as if the Universe gives us permission
to slow down, take a deep breath
and savor the wonder of it all.

 Majestic views surround us,
with white-tipped trees and bare branches 
giving us a new look at the forest in our back yards.
It's easier to see the birds' nests at this time of year,
and reminds us that Mother Nature is taking care of Her charges, 
even in the harshest of weather.

It always seemed curious to me 
that some grown-ups liked winter.
Most adults I know feel that it is a nuisance,
something that is wished away,
anxious for milder conditions.
But now, having experienced snow again,
I can see the magic in its properties.
When it snows, I am transfixed.
And I hope that never leaves me.