Thursday, February 21, 2013


Wintry Pathways
by
Patricia Shannon




At high speed, the cold impulses travel along the chain of nerve fibres in my body. They follow the pathway from my feet to deep inside my brain. My brain is on high alert. “Your feet! Your feet! Do something! Your toes are freezing!”
I begin to move my feet. Left foot up, then down. Right foot up, then down. Continuously repeating the sequence. My arms also have a job to do. I slap them around my body, to keep the blood flow going. Apparently my brain still isn't satisfied. It draws my attention to the hot chocolate stand at the edge of the frozen lake. I have to get one of those delicious warm drinks!
Carefully I walk along the snow covered lake edge. Eventually I feel the hot substance flowing through my body. What a wonderful sensation! Gradually my body and soul are recovering from the freezing cold. Now I can fully appreciate my surroundings.
It's amazing! So beautiful! The trees are covered with a blanket of snow. Children and grown ups are skating on the frozen lake. One couple is ice dancing graciously. There's music, drinks and laughter. It starts to snow. The beauty of Winter. Thanks to mother earth who, once a year, moves her axis away from the sun. Winter. It can be cold and miserable. Heavy rain, storms, hail, snow and frost. In Winter life seems to be frozen. Plants and animals are dormant. Days are shorter and we spend more time indoors. But then there are moments like these, when nature offers us a magical display.
When I've finished my drink, I'm receiving another impulse. Suddenly I'm longing for a warm-me-up meal. Pea and ham soup with hot sausages on the side. My mouth waters at the sheer thought of it. So yummy! It's time to go home. Luckily my home is not far from the lake. I manage to get there unscathed.
As quickly as I can, I take off my snow boots, my gloves, my scarf, my hat and heavy coat. My brain chases me up. My stomach is grumbling. “Come on! Give me something to eat!” I'm so glad that I have ready to eat soup. The sausages won't take that long to cook either.
Within half an hour I'm thoroughly enjoying my wintry meal in front of a cheery, dancing fire. Now that's comfortable! At last it is my turn to give the orders. I close my eyes, sit back and doze off.
For a while I'm in Nomansland. Not for long though. My subconscious takes over. It makes me follow a different pathway.

The End.



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