I walk outside to greet this Winter’s Day. I close my eyes and breath in the crisp, cold, fresh air. It awakens my nostrils; sending the cleansing chill down to my lungs. I open my eyes to find a gray sky that blends into the snow-covered ground creating a dome-like roof surrounding me. For a minute, I am in a snow-globe.
I strap Madi into the car restraints and drive over to the park. She patiently waits for me to park and strap on my snowshoes. After fumbling for a minute, I open her car door. She looks at me with wide-eye anticipation, her tail wagging.
Madi pulls excitedly on her leash. She is exuberant. She is ready to go.
I look at her to say this is all for you girl. I woke this morning feeling tired. My head was heavy. There was a pressure squeezing my temples; making my eyes ache. A nauseous wave surrounded me. Madi laid patiently waiting for the feeling to pass. Through morning coffee, reading, and yoga she waited.
Now, we are here. The stillness of the snow-laden field is before me. I start to crunch across. The snowshoes help to make my movement agile; keeping me upright. As I cross, my steps become a rhythmic chorus. I continue to breath in deeply sending the cooling air throughout my body. Forging ahead, I see tips of the field grass shooting up through the snow. There are tracks from animals and people that came before me. Discarded acorns left from a squirrel. The bare tree stands tall exposed bark bending in the breeze.
Madi leaps through the drifts, hopping ahead. Her 16 pounds weighed down by huge snowballs that have attached to her fur. It doesn’t seem to faze her in the least. We come to a bench and I sit. I gaze around the field. The woods stand tall surrounding the open space. The tree branches and evergreens stretch up to the sky. I realize, I no longer feel that wave of nausea or pressure to my head. Instead, I feel strong and alive.
I get up and continue on our way, trudging through the snow. I am thankful that I have a dog who relies on me to get up and get outside. The sun has popped through the clouds. A blueness has returned to the sky. The snow glistens like diamonds. What a wonderful way to greet the day.
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