I often wondered as a child how adults knew what snowflakes looked like in real life, because one, I lived in the Southern U.S., and two, it is wet snow, and messy when we do get it. Living in the North Central Province of BC, Canada I have experienced Winter in a whole different perspective. Extremely cold temperatures, and more times than not, dry snow. Perfect powder. On a rare occasion such as today, you can actually see individual perfect little snowflakes, and wonder how? How is this perfect little wonder created?
Now, this flooded my mind with all kinds of thoughts about snow. Some words I find to describe snow: beautiful,serene, perfect, peaceful, romantic,angelic,delicate,treacherous, vicious, unforgiving, and even deadly. Vicious, unforgiving...deadly? Wow, what happened to beautiful? Well, as with most things in the natural world with beauty also comes the potential for circumstances beyond our control. Events that change something beautiful, and in a blink of an eye can turn that beauty against you, and put you in harm's way, even causing death.
I know that it is impossible for a single snowflake to inflict harm on anything bigger than itself. Lots of snowflakes can however, as with anything in overabundance. Wind, rain, bodies of water, trees,mountains, sand, earth,snow, ice... the list can go on and on. All these things are pleasing to the eyes, and people flock to enjoy their beauty. But these wonders of nature can turn vicious and unforgiving, and quickly hurt, or take a life without hesitation, without guilt, without remorse.
That is why it is so important that we respect our earth, and it's beauty. Know her boundaries,her strengths,her weaknesses, and respect, care, and love her for in return we will reap the benefits for years to come.
It is funny how the mind works, and this whole blog entry started with a single snowflake....
