skiing

snow, always.

cross-country skiing as a child was such a challenge. I wasn't strong enough to get up the little hills, and the downhill part never felt long enough. but now… why is it now that I would rather go slow than speed down? I like the uphill parts because I can get up, now.

halfway through, I felt done. the wind was starting to scratch my face and the snow was icy against my cheek. can I just be done? can I just go back to the lodge and relax and be comfortable?

but I kept going. you have to finish the hard parts before you can relax & be comfortable. it's so easy to turn around and be comfortable. but the hard parts are the most rewarding.

(more) snow in seattle

(my glove got in the corner of this one, but we can pretend it's a grey snowflake)

then eventually this rain starts back up, and washes our day of snow away, and school doesn't get cancelled and the brightness of the world turns back to grey.

but we had it for a little bit. the inch of thick snow crushed under my boots and made that sound, that sound that crunches in a way unique to snow. for a little bit we had snow routes for buses and snowmen sitting on campus benches. and for a little bit I didn't care that it was cold because, my goodness, it snowed. and my walk home from the library consisted of The Middle East's music on repeat, a goodnessknows cranberry chocolate snack tucked into my gloves, and me, jumping through the snow.

it was quiet, and it was good, and it was what I needed.

the snow. the snow does that.