When snow turns red
By Lillian Huber
On this beautiful freezing day, a light frost settles on the pavements and the smell of pine trees and joy fills the soft, cool air. Small children play in the white, soft snow, making beautiful angels and igloos galore. The bigger kids are not so sweet. They throw snowballs to no defeat. They toss and chuck, making such a muck. But oh, it's so fun, and not just the young get to enjoy this winter wonderland, as there are many joyous and exhilarating activities for adults to take part in. They can skate and snowboard or ski as fast as they can go. But for the less adventurous souls, they will be cuddled up on a soft, woolly couch angled towards the falling snow. They will have a cup of sweet hot cocoa and a book or puzzle to ease their soul. The elders can also join in knitting and sewing, making a plethora of charming sweaters that overflow with cozy, sugary love, keeping the recipient of this beautiful gift forever warm, never letting their soul go cold.
All this life and all this wonder takes place during the winter. Somehow, a cold, freezing day is all it takes to bring loved ones together. I ponder and think upon all these beautiful thoughts as my feet slowly drag through the cold-bitten snow that bites at my bare ankles, sending shivers up my spine with every meandering step that I take. So freezing am I, as there is no coat on my back to keep me warm, nor mittens on my hands or a nice wool hat on my head. I have no grandma to knit nice loving sweaters for me or a little sister to hold my hand. Although this season brings people together, I will forever be alone. I keep walking, dragging my feet along; the sun is setting, and I can see an array of breathtaking colors fill the beautiful sky. My nose goes pink, and I can no longer feel my feet as my fingers move and my blood grows more and more cold. Now I can see my warm breath fill the air in front of me, making tiny little clouds of heat. My brain wanders off again, as it usually does, pondering about the night and what is to come. I think of the day to come and wonder what adventures will unfold and where I will go. Oh no, where will I sleep? My brain is now thinking. I need to find a place that is warm and cozy. It needs to be different than the night before, as I am slowly making my way back to the place where I was born.
At this point, I take a seat to look around and find some place to sleep. I see charming little kids, one with a nice woolen hat and the other with a beautiful blue scarf, play in the snow, making little snowmen and little castles. They play with the snow like it were sand on a beach, crafting and sculpting everything their little brains could think of. They are out playing and having fun while their dad is shoveling the driveway with a rusty old shovel that screeches with every pile of fluffy white snow that he scoops up. He stops the hard work now and then to look up at his joy-filled kids frolicking around their yard. This sight brings laughter to his eyes and a cheer to his lips, making him smile from cheek to cheek. In another yard, there's a little boy and his mother hanging up beautiful, shining strips of light that brighten up the night skies.
Oh, the joy of having a family, the wonders of having kids. These sights fill me with happiness but bring tears to my eyes as I miss my little boys and girls and my wife, who used to sing the sweetest of tunes. My heart starts to ache and burn; my head starts to spin, and all the memories come crashing back, and in an instant I am in shambles; no longer can I feel my frostbitten nose or hear the little kids' laughter. Everything is freezing and also not there. The only thing I can feel is my burning heart melting through the snow. It's sending nettles of pain to my head that come out as tears through my eyes. I lay down and let myself get swallowed up by the freezing snow, letting it cover my body like I were getting buried along with my family. Here I shall lie for now, covered and consumed by the frigid, ice-piercing snow, and if I'm lucky enough, once my eyes close for the night, they won't open for the day, as winter might be a joyful time for others, but for me all it does is bring sadness to my eyes and memories to my heart, making me want to bleed.
Causing beautiful white snow to turn a heart aching red.
