my dear ollee n bee ~
there has been quite a glorious snowfall in the last twenty-four hours. it has been steady, gentle and accumulating. and as usual, when it is cloudy and snowing, the temperatures are well, temperate. as you know, the weather can change on a dime and the forecast for the next twenty-four hours is definitely taking a turn. the mercury is to plummet and the seventy kilometer winds are going to whip all that fresh new snow into quite a frenzy!
it's ok. we have all we need to manage. we are warm in our home. if we need to get to town, we have four wheel drive vehicles. we have high tech communication and clothing.
as i was out walking in the snow today, i reflected on two stories that my parents told me. stories that come to me quite often as the chill bites my nose in the winter. stories of privilege ~ something regarded as a rare opportunity and bringing particular pleasure.
my dad was born in 1921. he told me of when he was a wee lad of how lucky he was, what a privilege it was for him to have their family dog sleep with him, especially in the winter months. his two sisters slept together, his parents slept together of course, and because he was the only boy he slept by himself. he felt so fortunate to have the heat of the furry dog laying on his feet to keep him warm as the heat in the house was scarce in winter in those days.
my mom was born in 1928. she told me about the day she received her very first woollen ski pants ~ she was six years old. she described the unbelievable joy of being able to go out and play in the snow for so much longer because she was warm and dry. she reflected on how she cherished those pants, the privilege it was to own her very own pair. there were other children who weren't as fortunate.
you know what? the weather hasn't changed. somehow they survived just as severe conditions as we do today, but with so much less. for them to feel so very lucky and privileged then means we ought to feel unbelievably privileged with all we have today.
snuggling in now and feeling oh, so grateful ~
xxo
pg
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eighteen | three.sixty.five
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