IN LOVE WITH WINTER

Today is the perfect day to build a snowman… This winter is very interesting. One day I woke up and saw green grass, another day it was a blizzard. Welcome to Canada you might say. And yes, this country is notorious for harsh long winters. Although, I was always surprised that people could run into the store in shorts or pyjamas in January. I have to admit after all these years I am one of this people. I love this country and I love snow. It’s just like back home.

I’d never realized how important snow was for me until I went to Israel. I lived in that beautiful country for almost two years. Although I loved the beauty and aroma of tropical flowers and the amazing flavours of tropical fruits, I never felt that I belonged there. The weather for nine months was the same… no wind, no rain, nothing. The view out of my window looked like a picture. Palms never moved, frozen in time. It was crazy hot during the day and crazy cold at night. Then it was rain season. If you have never experienced a tropical thunderstorm, let me tell you. I lived in mining city, so loud noises would not scare me. I used to the sound of explosions. This was different. It was genuinely scary! Loud explosions and thunder and lightning and huge drops of water beating against my aluminium roof top, sending fear down my spine. And it felt like it would never stop. But then it would be gone like it wasn’t even there and we would be back to the frozen palm picture. 

There I truly missed snow. Here in Canada, I feel at home. And four seasons make me happy. And today is a perfect day to be outside. It’s zero degrees and tons of snow! And it’s not fluffy or hard it’s perfect for sculpting, snow man, snow fort and of course ammunition for snowball fights! Snow is a bit wet, but dense. My favorite kind of weather. And don’t take me wrong I am not a fan of minus 40 temperatures, and blizzards when I cannot breathe and my thoughts getting frozen on the spot. But there is magic in winter days if you allow yourself to see it. Yes, you might guess, I love winter. I have a Russian background. My days were spent outside most of the time. What was negligence of my parents (I know this now because I am a mom) I embraced as a freedom. Winter always fascinated me, in one moment everything becomes white and beautiful. Maybe because before that moment everything is bare and dirty. I am so aware of my surroundings and often thought does it ever get better? And then, magic! And everything changes. 

God is so good. Did you ever notice that’s how our life goes as well? We have our own seasons. Sometimes we are in planting season, sometimes in growing, sometimes we harvest the fruits of our labour but then, we are bare and maybe mourning, and don’t even know if it’s ever going to change. And it would be wonderful to know that our lives like seasons would change in 3 months but just like the weather, it’s unpredictable. One thing is for sure though, change will come. So, we always have hope. In the process, we are becoming stronger, wiser and more compassionate to one another. Although we are different and unique, we all have the same heart, same love, same loss… it allows us to say to someone: “I understand” and truly mean it. 

God created us to live in harmony together and enjoy His amazing creation. Although I love all seasons, they all have a unique quality, but if I would be honest with you and myself, I am totally in love with winter.

Love&BLoved