I would never claim to be winter’s biggest fan, but there's something about a fresh coating of snow that is irresistible. It sugarcoats the brown landscape, softens the sticks, and provides an ever-changing record of everyone and everything that passes through.
This year, I've been prioritizing outside time. It's one of the few resolution type goals that I set for myself. While exercise and movement are important, the outside part is the most crucial to me. Pretty much no matter the weather, I feel better after some fresh air. It's the surrounding nature, too, I'm sure, but I think it's more the perspective. Inside, I'm an average sized person with average worries and problems. Outside, I'm insignificant. My concerns are nothing to the wind and trees. There's a mental freedom that comes with being one small person, outside.
I prefer to walk a boring route, one where I don't need to make decisions. Most of the time, I walk along our dirt road and turn back when I'm ready. This morning, I was walking in my yard until I was enticed into the next door property. I saw this neighbor just yesterday at the library and asked her if she minded me walking on her land. She didn't mind at all and would even be happy to meet me there sometime to show me around. Her footprints were in the snow from yesterday, so I took her guided tour, with her boot tracks showing me the way.
I remembered how much I love the sound of fresh snow squeaking under my boots. The frosty covering deadened normal sounds and made the surroundings even more serene. Little flocks of birds twittered in the flanking trees. I felt comfortably small and comfortably peaceful within.