Winter’s Kiss

An overwhelming sense of joy fills my body when my eyes rest upon the sight of the world around me tucked under a blanket of white. An unspoken message is received from the scene. No School.

I step outside to test the freshly fallen flakes. The chill air bites my arms and cheeks, but I welcome the sensation warmly. My head tilts back and I slip my tongue past my lips, providing a landing pad for the plummeting plumps of snow. Sugary crystals gently kiss my lashes, and I close my eyes, soaking in the moment with a feeling of bliss.

Hours of excitement follow the first step into the pale wonderland. Packing, throwing, shaping, rolling. Overlapping trails from various objects crisscross through the chilly ground. Feeling begins to leave my toes and fingers. Gradually the loss creeps into my hands, my legs, my lungs. The pain from the biting cold begins to outweigh the fun.

I abandon the now melting piles of flakes, grateful for the memories I made today and eager for those I will make tomorrow.