Winter's Tale

It is now definitely winter, this fact can no longer be denied or delayed. Winter has struck, with all the sudden impact that choice of phrasing implies. A few days ago mornings were still bright and crisp, but the grass was green and water flowed freely. Now everything has turned white with frost, including cars and large sections of the smaller roads near me, and water has solidified. The grass crackles as you place weight upon it, and up until midday you can bend down and snap a blade of grass rather than simply plucking it from the ground.

I love winter. The crisp air in the mornings which lasts until last thing at night, biting through any layers you wear to taunt your skin, making your body ache with cold no matter what precautions you take. The ice that snaps and creaks underfoot as you walk, touching everything with a thin layer of white even without snow falling. The slick pathways, smoothed out and with any grip removed by sheets of frozen water so that you can choose whether to try and struggle down them on foot, your legs flying in all directions, or simply take a run-up and slide, hoping for the best and trying to keep your balance as you glide along.

It is easy to understand why people use to personalize Winter, giving it human traits. It feels like Winter is out to get each of us, personally. No one else is being chilled quite as much as we are, no one else has to spend quite as long uncovering their car from frost, that patch of ice was placed specifically for us. All of it just tells us how much Winter enjoys playing with us. Never make the mistake of assuming Winter is evil or cruel, it is simply playful, and has no idea how much damage it can do. We do best when we are being pressured, pushed and tested, and Winter certainly tests us, no matter how safe we may really be.