once upon a time, in a land not so long ago, the scene outside my window would have been familiar. The chill in the air would have felt familiar in its dampness. For once upon that time, it used to snow in this place. Many a mountain, castle and fort were built from the snow that once fell. Weaponry was launched and even armies of snowmen were commissioned and modeled here. In fact, it used to snow o much in this place, that the little reminder we had of it today would not even require the armor we once wore as we opened our front door, furrowed our furious faces and trudged forward as every mighty citizen of this had before us.
Today, it snowed in this town. Once not so long ago but perhaps long enough, we would have scoffed at a snowfall like this, perhaps even sighed in relief at a mere 3-5 centimetres of snow. This town however is slowly forgetting what it once felt like and looked like to see the streets adorned in a fresh white coat, tufts of white hanging from trees. We forget how pretty it is to be caught in a moment gazing skyward as millions of shiny wet stars swoon to the earth.
As I walked home the short distance from the bus stop late this afternoon, I looked up and around and had myself a little linger. I felt the familiar, charming crunch of snow under my feet and I remembered.
This breaks my heart brother.
ReplyDeleteI feel that I have been spoiled for snow this winter, and I am jealously hoarding it all for myself. It has snowed so much here that Beautiful Britons, who have been won over by the white, scoff when, at this late point in February, the snow finally stops and starts to melt. They begin to use phrases like "well it snowed here today, but not nearly enough." And in the end, once-Londoners who used to put their feet up and brew a cupa at the meagrest dustings of snow, content to have life stop after but a centimetre, they strap on Sorel boots, delighting in the white, and as the greatest of blizzards roar through they turn their eyes to the skies and scream "is that the best you've got in you?!"
So, though it is late in the game for such acts and prayers, I will endeavour to use my Estonian Weather Godliness to send you some more snow. With the added support of my newfound weather maiden, we might just be able to get Toronto a foot or two.