Snow Day

Frozen powdered sugar frosts the earth and trees. Dollops of it cover the wooden railings on my stairs. My little town is cocooned in silent softness. Doors and windows clasp their people in a cozy indoor embrace. Outside, the stars dance down to earth to shimmer against all the white.
We are experiencing a rare snow day here in east Texas.

What is it about snow that brings out the magic in an otherwise ordinary world? Maybe the appeal stems from the fact that we are swaddled in something beautiful and fleeting, a situation that encourages us to pause and appreciate it before it disappears. The snow disregards race, politics, social standing, or any of the things that too often divide us. We are all captivated by it.
Could the magic reside in forced togetherness? Families huddle in their homes by necessity. Roads are impassable, and it is too cold for anything but short trips outdoors. A sense of fun and good will emanates from everywhere. Forgotten favorites like board games and family stories reappear, and make you wonder why you ever packed them away in the first place.
The repast of snow days adds to the grandeur. Pantries are packed, because Texas cleans out the stores at the first hint of a chance of snow. There are comfort foods – big bowls of chicken and dumplings, taco soup, chili, beef stew, foods to be lingered over and savored. Mugs of steaming cocoa with frothy marshmallows floating on top and maybe a candy cane with which to stir are held in hands that appreciate the warmth as much as the drink. Best of all are the foods that require group participation to make and enjoy – s’mores roasted in a fireplace or outdoors for very brave souls, and snow ice cream! Snow day activities like sledding, snowball fights, and the making of snowmen create lifelong memories for the kids. Indoors, we do the things we don’t make time for during ordinary life – reading long books, knitting, catching up with friends and family in long-overdue phone calls, and most restorative of all, sitting still and gazing out the window in silent appreciation of the beauty of nature.
The snow acts as a pure and chilly salve for a battered world. It requires us to slow down. It asks us to remember the magic of childhood.
Enjoy this rare wintry gift, and cherish the memories you make today for a lifetime.

Author: Jena

Hi there. Thanks for stopping by. I am a small-town Southern writer, book hoarder, technology enthusiast, unashamed cat lady, and huge fan of the Outlander series. I have a degree in Psychology from the University of Texas at Tyler. I love nothing more than to paint pictures with words, and to make people happy, and if I can do both at the same time, all the better. Gratitude, simple joys, and optimism are the cornerstones of my life philosophy. I am totally blind, and I have non 24 sleep disorder, and temporal lobe epilepsy. These health issues make for some interesting times, but adversity has taught me wisdom I never would have learned otherwise. I hope you will enjoy my writing, and I thank you for taking the time to read it. View all posts by Jena