White snow cold heart.

The glow of new white snow glistened when I looked out of my bedroom window this morning. A bit shocking in fact as my world’s landscape changed overnight. Not yet ready for winter, the beauty was breathtaking so the grief of the long warm fall wasn't so awful. Each year, the cold weather tears me apart like a bad break-up. Winter is not my friend. It takes time to adjust.

The freshness of the air burned my lungs as I breathed in the cold air while taking Bosco outside to experience the chilly, wet snow for the first time. He leaped into the air catching soft white flakes on his pink tongue as if they were doggie treats falling from the sky. The site of a puppy experiencing a winter wonderland for the first time made me giggle. It didn’t take him long to realize that the white stuff was cold and place he didn’t want to endure for long. Within minutes he was scratching at the door to come inside. Reluctantly, I let him in knowing that he will leave his morning gifts somewhere inside the house.

There is something about the first snow that changes people. For some, it’s a chance to get into the Christmas spirit. For others, it’s a chance to take on the Minnesota roads for the first time. For me, the new snow wiped away the painful week I’d experienced. A snowy Saturday morning allowed me to curl up with coffee and a blanket. My mind was still paralyzed by the draining week that included a very sick child, a demanding work week and evening commitments. The snow provided a fog that numbed my reality at the perfect time.

It looks like the snow is here to stay and winter is upon us. It could be so easy for me to slip into an unhealthy mental state. Yet, my imagination will allow me to mentally escape the cold that burdens my soul each year. Let the writing begin.