We finally got our first real snow of the year yesterday. Not a flurry that never sticks; not a dusting that’s melted by morning. Real accumulation — one to five inches, depending where you live.
That first snow is always magical. Waking up in the morning to a world blanketed in white, and everything is hushed. Snow has a way of quieting the world, cleansing it. City sounds become muffled and country quiet reaches a new kind of stillness.
For those few hours before the temperature rises, the world outside looks like a blank canvas — pure and pristine and waiting. Dying grass disappears for a while and tree limbs hang heavy with a winter coat of white. When dark comes, newly hung Christmas lights illuminate the snow from underneath, the bright colors softened and defused into a comforting glow.
As far as first snows go, yesterday’s was close to perfect. For most of us, particularly in town, the roads were clear and there was little to no ice hiding beneath the inches of accumulation on our vehicles, which made getting to work a less harrowing experience. Not everyone had such luck, we know, and we hope anyone who faced slick and snowy roads reached their destinations safely. For the rest of us, yesterday’s snow was all of the beauty with less of the hazard.
For the kids learning virtually and the young-at-heart stuck at home, it was a textbook snowball-fight and snowman-building snow: A little wet and heavy, perfect for packing into projectiles or snowperson body parts.
By the time you read this, there may be more snow or less outside your window. Above freezing temperatures yesterday afternoon may have already turned the picturesque white fluff into brownish slush or continued flurries through the night may have added a layer of fresh powder. The thing about snow is — beautiful as it may be when it first falls — it melts eventually. The pristine white gets muddied and slushy and then eventually dries up. Like most things in life, snow is temporary, which is why we have to enjoy it while we can.
This year has shown us how quickly life can change, so carpe diem. Seize the day. Build the snowman. Have the snowball fight. Bundle up and take the walk. Go sledding down the backyard hill. Start the fire in the fireplace. Drink the hot chocolate.
Like perfect snows, perfect moments are fleeting and far too rare, so we have to revel in them when the opportunity arises.
