My First True Love

This has got to be the best and most perfect winter of mine yet. Wait, hold on to your seat. I think I've finally experienced my first love. :) 

:)

The saying must be true: If a guy teases you, it is only because he likes you.

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I used to passionately hate him and his cold wrath. 

He regularly destroys my sunny days and steals my sultry summer tan. 

Just this season, he has hidden 2 of my mobiles and my snowball-making gloves under his thick white blankets, 2 of which were lost forever to his Houdini-like powers.

After years of loathing him, I've finally come to see his real beauty.

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How he stole my heart...

I've had the chance to experience old man winter this season on two different continents/countries/cities, which is how I discovered my true feelings.

First up was in lovely Munich! Snow began to fall in mid-November and I couldn't help but loving every bit of it from start to end. Even on the very day of my flight home, my last moments breathing the Munich air were spent frozen waiting on the S-bahn bench with one of my best friends Heather. 

Surprisingly, the cold didn't even get to me as much as it normally would because I was just so distracted by the perfectly-shaped snowflakes softly piling on my legs and suitcases. 

Every snowflake to me in Munich was just impeccably hypnotizing. Each flake glistened with such a peaceful character that I was just automatically drawn in to discover each's hidden mystery. Even in the company of dear friends, I would drift away with the schools of flakes floating past me just wanting to follow them wherever they were traveling off to. 

He started up one night while we were in one of our hot hang out spots, Jäger's, enjoying my last Maß night of the year, when I just flew outside the hostel and danced around in the snow-covered street with my mouth open wide catching the landings of the tiny beauties. It felt like my little glimpse at heaven. Onlookers were weary of my amazement, but I was in another world and had no time to even care. I even stole friends, Heather and Daniel, from the warmth to dance under and catch the falling beauties. Time stood still that night.

He was even distracting at work, as I just peered out our office's big glass windows each time he decided to show his face. My manager would catch me sometimes and double check what really caught my stare. To her surprise, every time, it was only him. I was definitely in love. It was one of those "can't-eat, can't-sleep, reach-for-the-stars, over- the-fence, world-series kind of" loves. Undeniably, 'twas my winter heaven. 

A group of dear friends and I traveled to the Chiemsee Christmas Markets one snowy day. We put on one of the best snowball fights EVER. :) Snowballing should become a professional sport! Who wants to help me lobby?!

Final destination, good 'ole home on the range! Old Man Winter is being very generous with us this season. He just keeps sending this beautiful white fluff to us in heaps. We've had at least 3 good doses and 2 or so other flurry nights. Normal winters he gives us maybe 1 good dose, if that! But I can't complain, I'm enjoying each snow day to it's fullest with the best of fixings - company of family and friends, hot chocolate sippings, bonfires with s'mores, the wonders of nature, and the silent beauty of the little white gifts sent from above. 

I dove into that perfect sheet of snow to make my angelic mark :)

And the difference between a German and an Arkansan winter-man? 

Simple.

True Appreciation.

It was the Germans who taught me to appreciate the 4 seasons, all the rainy, cloudy and sunny days. Reason being, they have one of the best seasonal variety packs I've experienced compared to the imbalanced-plethora of gorgeous warm sunny days and skipping of some winters and falls in Arkansas and Texas. Weather was always a daily hot topic when I lived in Germany. Whereas in Arkansas and Texas, we are used to our regular schedule of hot sunnies and chilly drearies. I used to hate rain that would destroy the chance for yet another blissfully sunny day, but now I've come to appreciate the variety as the Germans do. I guess I will have to agree - it does keep things interesting and the weathermen well-known! 

However, just as the Germans have taught me the topic of seasonal appreciation, I almost never saw them appreciate anything but those perfect sunny days. They cursed winter - slow traffic, the winter tire law, etc. Odd? Why yes, I do think so! Although I wasn't too fond of anything but sunny days before, I've come to see just how much more appreciated the variety of weather is here in Arkansas. Being one of America's top crop producers, farmers here depend on the rain and sun for a season of good crops. Still, when old man winter comes our way, you better believe we are all on our tippy toes awaiting our first, second, and third snowy forecasts with snow-day excitement. So, only when I came home did I learn how to appreciate the seasons and, specifically, him.

Well folks, hope you all are enjoying this wintry season as much as I am. Old man winter ain't nothin' but a big hunk 'o love, and if he ain't sent some love your way yet, I'm sure it's a comin'! Who knows? Maybe he could be your secret Valentine. :)

I'd like to conclude my personified love of winter banter with the words of Albert Einstein: 'Imagination is more powerful than knowledge.'

Watch out!! Professional snowballer here!! :D

Just imagine... (: