Romancing the snow at 32

It was a delebrate decision. I wanted to be alone for some time, be with myself and a bit of introspection.

I am a very boring guy to be alone with and this I have realized now.

There are times in life when you realize that things are not going your way or you are just going with the flow. Sense of no-contol on your life. You want to do something but can't. You are just doing things you don't want to.. things you are not happy with.. you have no free will.. ("free will" thats a seprate topic which i will take up later). Your goals getting further way from you and you cannot do anything. This is a time when you realize you need a shock therapy. A slap on your cheeks to wake you up. To get out of you comfort zone and do something uncomfortable.

Thats why when a chance came to choose a years deputation for Finland.. reluctantly i agreed. I knew it is not going to be easy being away from family .. two kids, a loving wife.. dotting parents, brothers who where more of friends.. all these who, no matter how much you loose, how much you underachive.. how much you screw up.. were always there to support and cheer.

Leaving them behind, putting up a brave face of a non-emotional being..not feeling the pain of sepration.. I landed in Oulu with heavy heart.. as always a confused mind and a tried body..

...thinking was it a right decision.. or again as always somebody has already made a decision for me and i just followed..

That was the back story guys and gals..

At 32 i saw my first snow. The chill in the air, slippery walkways, warm people, a frozen white world.. Thats northern finalnd for you in December. Things would change but "Warm People" i hope would remain same all year round :-).

It feels like being in a movie..so much beauty..silence all around when you are in the woods.. you can see footmarks of animals who have walked on snow. Snow on leafless trees.. all of them announcing christmas.. they just lacked socks and lights in them. Snow on cars.. and their windscreens.. snow that just felt like cotton when you hold it and the chill in the air is such that it takes a while to melt even with your body heat. A world so pure it looked surreal.

You forget your freezing nose.. your cracked up lips.. chill running up your shoes when you romance the snow.