Snow Day Magic

If you live on the East coast I'm sure you experienced some snow or ice this week. As I'm writing this there are 20 inches of snow in my yard with the white stuff still coming down strong. I've seen post after post of complaints about the snow and running in the winter but to be honest, I love it. I'm at this weird age or stage in my life where 50% of me wants to be a child again and the other half of me wants to grow up and be out in the real world already. The kid in me is why I still get so excited when snow shows up in the 10 day forecast.

For me snow means getting out of class early or not having class at all. It means drinking hot chocolate and eating pancakes for breakfast. It means going sledding and building a snowman. It means walking a mile to get a pizza because the roads are too bad to drive. It means the only time swim practice would be cancelled.

I don't think I realized it growing up, but snow days mean putting life on hold and enjoying being with your family. After losing my dad I've really started appreciating the smaller things more. I used to always be doing three things at once but now I can only do one at a time and sometimes barely. I think the most beautiful thing in the world is a fresh snow covering everything, the trees, buildings, the streets. Before the snow plows come and make a mess of everything the world is covered in a beautiful white blanket that is so pristine and innocent.

Sometimes I want the world to stop spinning and slow down. I'm only 21 but sometimes I feel so darn old already. Wasn't I just turning 10, walking into a house full of my closest friends for my surprise birthday party? Having a snow day lets me be a kid again. Yes that 8 page paper I had due yesterday is now due next week but for 24 hours I can pretend like I don't have to do it.

Sometimes I like to think that my dad is sending me this snow so I can get that break I've been needing. I know my life isn't that hard compared to most but losing a parent sucks no matter how you frame it. It sucks waking up every morning and having that reality hit you smack in the face over and over again. It sucks when you hear a joke that only they would get.

Snow days are my days. Normally they are happy days but lately they have been sad days. They are peaceful and beautiful and therapeutic for me. As much as I love summer and being outside on a warm day, I don't think anything beats curling up in front of the fireplace with someone special, reading a book as the snow is falling.