Crunch Time

Snow is drifting down. Fine snow. Pushed along by a bit of wind, while calmly settling on Victoria’s winter greenery. This afternoon I’m warm, cosy and toasty being a couch potato, enjoying movies and snacks. But this morning - I was rebellious!

Mondays are reserved for the walking group I’ve belonged to for the last 14 years. One of our group is in Hawaii, another had an appointment, one more had family visiting……..and so on until it was myself and one other. My rebellion was not a big one, because this morning, although there was snow on the ground, sidewalks and bushes, it was not even snowing. Patchy blue sky framed high clouds, brightened our trees outlined in beautiful white snow. The streets were mushy grey. For many of us, the weather change had not slowed us down. Personally I just wanted to walk in the snow. Hear the crunch of my footsteps. Feel the cold on my cheeks. See my breath fanning out in front of me. This rebellion, in service to winter nostalgia, was absolutely necessary.

The walk only covered about four blocks to the nearest coffee shop. I passed a woman shovelling the driveway of her condo building, another walking slowly up the sidewalk sprinkling salt to keep the path safe and vehicles actually being cautious on their way to wherever they were going. The coffee shop, though not full, was busy serving customers seeking hot coffee or tea. Coats, gloves and toques took up space on tables and chairs. Grand conversations to save the world or chats about mundane errands hovered in the air. A walking group friend joined me from her home just two blocks away. We discussed books and other of life’s heavy topics.

So I was not alone in my rebellion. It was not organized nor did we huddle over tables to plan our next move. It was all business as usual. As I conclude this writing, snow flakes are falling more densely, mounding gently over our Victoria green.

“Every act of rebellion expresses a nostalgia for 

innocence and an appeal to the essence of being.”

~ Albert Camus, The Rebel