I said it in my ‘introducing me’ story in the Northern Sentinel back in June, and I’ll say it again: I love snow.
I couldn’t tell you exactly why, especially when most people around here seem simply fed up with it, given how much time it takes to shovel, clean off cars, drive places, etc.
I’m a huge fan of Christmas, so I think the snow makes me happy because seeing it means it’s officially heading into the holiday season.
Snow means snowball fights and snowmen building. It means cozy holiday movies and hot chocolate. It means snowshoeing and skiing and breathing in frosty breaths of air while your cheeks and nose grow red from the cold.
It also means tiny children in snowsuits, which is always a fantastic sight to see.
As well, coniferous trees look better when they’re snow-covered. Or decoration-covered. That’s just a fact.
While some find snow tiring, I tend to find it energizing. That calmness it leaves after it falls, even if it’s not calm while it’s falling, is absolutely magical. And at night, or walking along by yourself, when you can almost hear the snow falling because everything is so quiet, it’s absolutely breathtaking.
One of my fondest snow memories was cross country skiing with some family friends. I had made it to a spot and was waiting for others to catch up, and it was absolutely silent. That was the first moment I truly understood what people mean when they call a silence ‘deafening’.
It was snow and trees in all directions and nothing else, and especially from someone who’s grown up in big- and medium-sized cities, that was an incredible experience.
In university, I lived with some friends in a calmer neighbourhood, one that had a lot of families and would put up fantastic Christmas lights. After or during a snow, late at night when few cars and people were out, we would make a hot chocolate in a travel mug, put on some warm clothes, and go for a walk around the neighbourhood.
It was dead quiet, the snow would be falling, and lights would sparkle at you from all angles of the street. Sometimes we’d chat and laugh, but most of the time we just walked in silence, taking in the peace and calm of the moment before the next day full of work and school and chaos came back upon us.
Yes, I love snow for the holiday feelings it brings, but I also love the calmness of snow and absolutely find it energizing. While that may sound strange, finding calmness energizing, in a life that’s constantly go, go, go, you can get burnt out pretty quickly.
I find the tranquility of the snow lets me breathe and makes me feel properly rested. Even on busier days, seeing children playing and laughing, seeing snow line the tree branches, the beauty and frostiness of it all makes me feel happy and cozy, and ready to take on the world.
So, in the words of the great holiday song: let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! Let everyone be safe, especially driving in the snow. Let people have the time to see its beauty instead of seeing it as a hindrance. And let it bring joy, peace, and happiness for everyone as this holiday season comes upon us.
— Clare Rayment, Kitimat Northern Sentinel editor