Today I would change Khalil Gibran's quote to "Forget not that the the virgin snow longs to be graced with your footsteps and the descending snowflakes long to melt upon the warmth of your skin." I am still a child when it comes to my excitement about snow, especially towards the beginning of winter. I can recall hours of sledding and playing in the woods on those blessed days that school was cancelled! My favorite thing to do was find one of those evergreen trees where the branches were weighted down by snow and crawl underneath...it was like my own secret little fort hidden away from the rest of the world. And then we'd come in to remove our snow gear in front of the roaring wood stove while mom prepared soup and hot chocolate for us. :)
There is something about being in the woods when snow blankets the ground...a peacefulness hard to come by sometimes in daily life. It feels like everything has stopped for that moment in time. It's the sound of silence that opens your perception up to deeper awareness and the ability to be present. The way branches of trees look highlighted with a layer of snow; the prickly feel of snowflakes landing on your face and quickly melting; the tapping as they hit your jacket; the distant cry of a bird; the silent sound of the snow itself drifting from the sky...I don't know how to describe it...it just is. And then the exploring...a snow covered ground in the woods allows you more freedom to explore off the beaten path. And I think that expands awareness as well...anytime you're outside the "comfort zone" of what you "know" leads to heightened awareness of your senses. That's why it's so invigorating!
I am reminded of a quote my Grandpa Allen shared with me once when I was much younger (sometime before 5th grade). This quote has stuck with me my whole life; I will never forget it and hope that on some level I live my life by it. "Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."
