The other day I was driving home from work when I looked out of my window and saw the tree's lining up the street covered in a white dusting. It wasn't something new, something I haven't seen before, as a matter of fact the tree's almost look odd when their branches are bare of snow.
It wasn't the tree's that had seemed different, but the atmosphere. It was incredibly cold outside but the scenery gave off an essence that was almost warm, or inviting. Instead of continuing on my ride home, I stopped my car, got out and exhaled. I felt the crisp coolness hit my skin instantly, and the cold bitterness stinging my nostrils with every inhale I took, It felt good, I felt alive. I went up to the tree and examined it, all the markings on it, all the chipped wood--"battle scars" I thought, and imagined all the rough winters and dry summers it has been here for. I imagined all the animals coming up to it and usuing it as shelter, or a place to store food. I think about how much the tree has been used to benefit others. I put my hand on the tree trunk and touch it's rough bark, dragging my finger across a set of faintly carved initials;
E.C+S.G
I smiled, and then quickly started to think of who those people might be, or if they're still together, if they have kids or if they're happy. My thoughts were diminished quickly as a truck drove by me and snapped me out of my thoughts. I started on my way back to my car, but I didn't want to go home quite yet. I started my car and continued going up the road, but I quickly stopped when my attention was caught by a slate of white.
I pulled over and examined the beauty from the window of my car. It isn't much to the blind eye, but in reality it's an open canvas. It shouldn't have made me angry that people have walked over it, because it was made to be walked on, but it was just so beautiful, I didn't want it to get ruined. There's so much beauty hidden in the world, sometimes you just need to look at it in a different way.