Snow

It's snowing right now. A lot. It looks like this.

Watching it got me thinking. Snow is a strange thing for me now.

When you're a kid, it's the most exciting thing in the world. I grew up in Florida and Texas until I was nearly a teenager, so snow was a rare thing. When I finally lived somewhere that brought snow, it was neat. It was there to be played with, it looked beautiful, it had sledding and this quite, gorgeous calm that nothing else in the world brings.

Over time, I grew to hate snow, and I think most agree with this. It's cold, it's wet, it's inconvenient, and, worst of all, it melts. And when it melts, it just becomes ugly and muddy and no fun whatsoever. When you learn how to drive, you start to deal with ice and scraping and more things that make snow hate-able.

Snow never stopped being beautiful, though, and tonight I took a moment to stare out the window and watch the heavy snow fall, turning the world in to a blanket of calm, white, pristine beauty. I know it will eventually go away and be ugly, but, for now, I'm appreciating it. I don't know where I'll be next year, so, for all I know, this might be my last snow in a long time. Maybe ever. Right now, it brings that crazy reflective light, where the whole world is clearly visible even in the dead of night. I stood and looked up at the sky, letting the cold feathers drift on to my face, a feeling that is strangely enjoyable even with its cold wetness. I watched the heavy, puffy flakes splatter on my sleeves. I looked at how perfect everyone's Christmas decorations look under the crisp, white image, devoid of foot or tire tracks. Snow is something you grow out of, but for a brief period of time, it's something beautiful and phenomenal.

Excuse me while I go stare at frozen water's inexorable drift to the ground some more.

Drifting from the sky
Upon the ground with wonder
Nature's fleeting art