Monday, January 29, 2007

Snow

When I was a kid, the first snow of the year would always fall sometime in December in the Tokyo suburb where I lived with my parents. Looking back, it was strange how a small soul such as myself got to learn the regularities of the world. No adult ever told me when I should expect the white blessing from the sky above. In the child's psychology, I would always look up expectantly, when in the December sky some clouds gathered to darken the earth below.

With the first snow, I was psychologically "ready" to welcome the new year.

Recently, possibly due to the effects of global warning, we have less and less snow around Tokyo. It is not unusual now that no snow ever falls on ground in December, or throughout winter. Thus, my childhood's annual ritual of the heart is now moot.

Climate change affects many things. My precious memory is one.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I live in the suburb of Tokyo.
When I was a child, snow covered the ground much higher, so that we can enjoy 'snow sliding' with a cardbored on a narrow and steep slope nearby. It was one of my favorite winter play. Have you ever done such a thing except skiing?
We haven't have a heavy snow in recent years, so children may not know how good and merry it is.
It is so sad that the climate change that was caused by human beings takes away children's pleasure.