Purity

Exuberant child in yellow coat and red gloves, tromping through snowy landscape; seagulls in background

i will always love the snow!

In our part of the country, we’re more likely to get ice than snow, so when the winds howl and the temperature drops and the precipitation begins, the grownups groan.

I picked up our youngest girls from school early today for an appointment, and they chattered joyfully about the possibility of snow.

“Oh, I hope it snows!” Rosemary exclaimed, clapping her mittened hands in delight.

“Me, too!” chimed her sisters, practically skipping across the parking lot as the wind threatened to blow off our hats.

I rolled my eyes, but Rosemary caught my moment of cynicism.
“Mo-om! You don’t want it to snow?!” she asked, aghast.

“Not really,” I admitted, “I’ve still got a lot to do that involves driving around.”

“That’s what all the grownups say,” Sage noted. “In our whole class, not one kid said their parents were excited about snow.”

Juniper nodded. “They don’t like snow,” she explained simply.

As we fought the wind to get into the car, I told them that grownups probably don’t like snow because of the ice—especially since drivers in our are don’t have much experience with icy roads, and it can be dangerous.

“When I grow up, I’m always going to love the snow,” Rosemary declared. “When it snows, I’ll be soooo happy! I love the big white flakes. I love how quiet the whole world gets. I love how, when you look outside, it’s magical—like a whole different world. And I especially love making snow angels and building snowmen and igloos.”

“I’ll never stop loving snow, not even when I have children. When it snows, I won’t worry about driving. We’ll all just stay home. We’ll build a big fire in the fireplace, watch movies, and snuggle under blankets. And if the TV goes out, we’ll read books by the fire. If the electricity goes out completely, we’ll light candles and lamps and read until it’s too dark. And when we only have one candle left, we’ll tell ghost stories. And when the last candle goes out and it’s completely dark—then we’ll all take naps.”

“I will always love the snow.”

I smiled as we drove away, hoping her heart stays as pure and hopeful as newly fallen snow.

Eve

11 responses to “Purity”

  1. Erin Avatar
    Erin

    Maybe one day I’ll be reborn as Rosemary’s child. She sounds lovely.

    Over from crazzymumma’s.

    Reply
  2. Irene Avatar
    Irene

    Oh, yeah, I’m with Rosemary, that beautiful quiet that snow brings. I’m going to reincarnate as one of her children, for sure!

    But then, I don’t live with snow – its a really rare treat for me now. But I remember an experience some time ago near some mountains just outside of Melbourne. I was visiting some falls with a friend, and it was late at night, but the area was flooded with electric light. I stood on a bridge, looking up as snow fell from the black beyond, lit up, falling onto my face and all around me. I started to giggle, really giggle – in fact, it made me feel so insanely happy. My heart just exploded! I’m just so glad there was no one else around…

    Reply
  3. Eve Avatar
    Eve

    Hi, Courtney. Wow, a real winter lover, huh? I’ll tell them tonight at dinner. :o)

    There are a lot of wonderful things about winter. I would probably find them all if we got more snow and less ice where I live!

    Reply
  4. Courtney Avatar
    Courtney

    Aw. Tell your daughter some grownups still love snow – I am one of them! I LOVE winter – sometimes I go so far as to consider it my favorite season. And I get so excited for the first snow, I feel just like your daughter!

    Reply
  5. Scott Erb Avatar
    Scott Erb

    I love snow! Which is good, living in Maine. And I teach at a university that closes when the snow is really bad. So when I wake up and hear the local station say the university is cancelled I think, “yes, a snow day!” However, living at the end of a dirt road in the Maine woods, I like the snow better after I have my snow tires on. Seriously, though, there is nothing more beautiful in the winter than a snow covered landscape. Last year we had over ten feet of snow total. It didn’t pile up that high, of course — there was some melting. And I worried about the roof, and needed snow shoes to walk around the house and roof rake. And I had to do a massively shoveling exercise that took days around the house to clear away the area near the foundation so that I’d minimize the chance of basement flooding when the snow melted. Plus it overloads the leech field (in the septic system) when it melts. But it’s worth it. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! And NO BUGS! No mosquitoes!

    Reply
  6. Caro Avatar
    Caro

    We are getting our first real snowstorm here in Laval, Québec and I kept my 3 girls home with me. Sweet. 🙂
    Found you via Deb @Justme. Grateful. 🙂

    Reply
  7. Lee Avatar
    Lee

    That was so sweet. Personally I love looking at snow. I have Reynaud’s however and my extremities are painfully cold all winter long (basically Sept to April!) so it is physically not a lot of fun for me. However I can see how much fun it is for the kids so I don’t say anything negative. We build snow men, snow shoe, slide and go tubing. I want to make memories, both for them and for when I am old and in my rocking chair! LOL

    On Saturday my 4 y/o son wanted to make paper snowflakes to add to the holiday window display. I helped him and he made 6 or 8. We hung them up. Over the night while we were sleeping we got our first dusting of snow. When he woke and saw this he punched his fist in the air and said “YES! I made it snow. I knew I could do it!” He is convinced that he did this by hanging paper snowflakes in the window. I love it!

    Reply
  8. davidrochester Avatar
    davidrochester

    It rarely snows here in Portland, but when it does, I feel so fortunate to be self-employed. I don’t have to drive anywhere, and there’s a small grocery store within half a mile of my house, so I can walk to get anything I need.

    Snow is one of the few things I’ve always allowed myself to feel excited about; one of the things of childhood that wasn’t ruined.

    I loved your daughter’s certainty regarding how she will be when she grows up. I think it’s as good for children to decide how adults should be as it is for adults to know how to lovingly discipline children.

    Reply
  9. henitsirk Avatar
    henitsirk

    I didn’t grow up with snow at all. Winter meant rain, and only one or two nights below freezing. So when we moved to the Sierras in Northern California for a year, I was totally unprepared! I ended up slipping on our icy front steps and dislocating a shoulder. Then we moved out of the mountains for a long time, and then to New York for three years, which has plenty of snow, sleet, and ice storms. Now we’re in Idaho, which so far doesn’t have much snow (so far this year) but is colder than either of the previous places.

    I still love the snow! It is really magical and beautiful. I love how you get a completely different perception of space and distance while it is falling. I can’t stand ice, however, as I have dislocated my knees enough times in my life to have an almost phobia of falling. And I also have an early childhood trauma around car accidents, so driving in icy conditions is very stressful.

    I’ve heard from several people here that studded tires are recommended, and that the city doesn’t plow very well. Oh great! We were almost spoiled in New York as the city, county, and college where we lived plowed early and well. And we didn’t necessarily have to drive each day.

    I really like Rosemary’s vision of snow days with her future children. Sounds very cozy and full of love!

    Reply
  10. Alida Avatar
    Alida

    I have to say I’m new to snow and still feel like a kid when it snows. We race to see who can put on their boots and mittens first and then we go out and throw snowballs at each other.

    Sometimes we pull up chairs to the kitchen windows and watch as the cars slip and slide down our street.

    I don’t think my husband is as fond of snow…he has to drive in it! You know the postman’s motto. Luckily, it usually only snows one or two days a year and melts by the next morning.

    Reply
  11. deb Avatar
    deb

    I still love the snow, well, at least the first few months of it. After four or five months of the stuff, I get a little tired. Tell your girls that it’s been snowing here for the past couple of days and your daughter is right, it does make the whole world quiet. That’s one of my favorite things about snow, the quiet. And the driving, meh, you get used to it.

    Reply

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