Winter's here

It snowed last week. An isolated event that dumped three inches on the ground in just a few hours, all of which had melted away two days later. But that morning, I woke up and the world outside my window was white again. White, and quiet, and peaceful, in that magical way that only freshly-fallen snow can achieve. Sounds are muted --- even the swish of a passing car, or the scrape of a neighbour's shovel. The entire world slows down, distracted from its tumultuous rush by the unhurried descent of the snowflakes. Even water stops, motionless. The muddy browns and industrial grays are covered up, hidden out of sight. Tracks in the snow tantalize you with thoughts of the animals and birds that passed by silently when you weren't looking. A pair of cardinals swoop down on the bird-feeder, flashes of red against a white canvas. Winter's here. And Spring will soon follow. It's the season for magic again.

...

It feels like last winter was just yesterday, though --- I can remember it all so clearly. The years go by more and more quickly each year. And this year, just like every other one, has left me with its own set of special memories. People who came into my life; people who were in it already, but whom I became closer to; and people who left it, but left their footprints behind for ever more. Just like birthdays, perhaps even more so than a birthday, the first snowfall of the year makes me turn around and look back at the year that has just gone by. The words of John Lennon come to mind:

And so this is Christmas,
And what have you done?
Another year over,
A new one just begun...