Alright, so winter rolled in again. You know how it gets, days shorter, everything kinda grey and quiet. I found myself just staring out the window a lot more than usual.
Getting Started
One Saturday, it was particularly bleak outside. Snow wasn’t heavy, just that persistent, annoying kind that makes everything damp and cold. I was feeling restless, stuck inside. Decided I needed to actually do something, not just sit there watching the flakes drift down.
So, I put on my old boots, the ones with the worn-out lining, and my thickest coat. Stepped outside onto the porch. The air hit me, sharp and cold. My first thought was just to clear the front steps. Simple job, right?
The Process
I grabbed the shovel. It was heavier than I remembered. Started scraping away at the thin layer of snow and ice. Back and forth, scrape, push. It wasn’t really about needing clear steps; nobody was coming over. It was more about the movement, the effort.
While I was doing that, I started noticing things. The way the silence wasn’t really silent – there was the scrape of my shovel, the distant hum of traffic, a dog barking somewhere down the street. Saw old Mrs. Gable next door peeking through her curtains. We gave each other that little nod people do when it’s freezing out. Acknowledging the shared experience, I guess.
- Scraped the top step.
- Moved down to the next one, hitting a stubborn patch of ice. Had to chip at it a bit.
- Cleared the walkway down to the sidewalk.
- Even did a little section of the public sidewalk, just because I was already out there.
What Came Out Of It
Took maybe half an hour. By the end, my fingers were numb inside my gloves, and my nose was running. But standing there, looking at the clean patch of concrete, it felt… good. Like I’d made a small dent in the greyness of the day.
It wasn’t anything grand. Didn’t solve any big problems. But going out there, doing that simple, physical task, it changed my mood. Made me feel less like a spectator just looking at winter, and more like I was actually in it, dealing with it hands-on. Sometimes that’s all it takes, you know? Just getting up and doing a small thing.
Went back inside, made a hot cup of tea, and the quiet house felt different. More earned, somehow. That was my “look winter” moment that weekend. Just me, a shovel, and a bit of damp snow.
