I grew up in the midwest, where we certainly had plenty of winter. Then, when I was a young wife with a toddler, my husband, daughter and I moved to Bermuda for 5 years, and I never liked winter again. Now we live in Virginia where the winters are generally mild. Only this winter it's been cold for days at a time, and we've had lots of snow. It's snowing again right now. We're expecting 3 to 6 inches overnight, which means the commute tomorrow morning will be from hell. Starting Friday afternoon we are expecting a really big winter snow storm. It will probably snow all day Saturday, so there goes my weekend plans.
People in Virginia just do not know how to drive in the snow, and the county doesn't invest much in snow removal or salt, so you are taking your life in your hands to be on the roads. Since Friday and Saturday will not be good days for grocery shopping I may try to shop Thursday night. I need to have good things to eat in the house, like fresh fruits & vegetables so I will stay out of the leftover Christmas candy and the gluten-free cookies. (I still have peppermint ice cream in the freezer.) (I will not pig out on it.)
Maybe I can just walk on the treadmill all day Saturday.
Or I can relax, slow down, and enjoy life without running around trying to get everything done at once.
The following poem is a reminder to me, and to all of us, that winter can be beautiful if we slow down and enjoy. It's by Sara Teasdale, one of my favorite poets.
February Twilight
I stood beside a hill
Smooth with new-laid snow.
A single star looked out
From the cold evening glow.
There was no other creature
That saw what I could see—
I stood and watched the evening star
As long as it watched me.
Sara Teasdale
