A New World
It’s early morning and extra quiet. I don my usual winter gear: a warm jacket, gloves, my black knit hat and my heavier winter boots. Stella, the dog, is eager to go on her morning walk. The outside door creaks slightly as I open it and we enter a winter wonderland. The snow is falling in thick flakes, covering everything. I look up into it and see a gentle, never ending swirl of white. Snow clusters on my shoulders and on Stella’s back, and everywhere I look, it coats every detail with a soft, fluffy blanket of white.
It’s the first real snow of the season, and it always comes as a surprise. The few cars on the road glide along quietly with a soft, swishing sound, and even my voice is muted as I talk to Stella. She, of course, is excited about the snow. She rolls in it, prances around and pokes her nose in a white mound on the ground. She sniffs it and so I do too. Fresh, clean air penetrates my nostrils as a snowflake falls on my nose. I trudge carefully, letting the snow do its thing. All around me, the snowflakes have recreated the world. The white shroud has softened the corners and sharp edges, covering cracks and holes, detailing the trees and houses. The snow lands on anything that protrudes, creating new angles and lines. I let that sink in. I need that every now and then: a cover for my foibles, a softening of my edges, a new version of the world.
Well ensconced in autumn, I breathe in this season’s take of my street. It’s there to remind me that I can change, I can recreate, I can move on. This world is not static. Though it is familiar, it presents itself anew regularly.
As I walk, I’m pulled out of these deep thoughts by a tug on the leash. Stella follows the rabbit and squirrel tracks left in the snow and takes me along for the ride. We are almost home. As we turn into our walk and climb the steps, we shake and stomp, letting the snow fly off our clothes and fur. Inside, the woodstove beckons and I’m ready for my first steaming hot cup of coffee. I pull back the curtains and sit down to breakfast. Outside, the snow keeps falling and the world keeps turning and I think about what I will bring to it today.
