Saturday, February 9, 2013

Nemo




It’s wintertime and I am sitting here in a heap of layers holding a mug steaming with chocolate-y goodness hidden under a mountain of marsh mallows. As the snowflakes fall outside, the night is so still I almost forget that I live on an island with more than eight million people.

We were bracing ourselves on Friday night as word spread across the island of another “historic storm.” News anchors provided no comfort as they threw out every adjective they could think of–wintery mix, flusters and blusters, record this and record that, severe, harsh, brutal, and ruthless to describe winter storm Nemo. As we crammed and jammed every non-perishable item we could think of into our pantry, and gathered around a big pot of chicken noodle soup, I couldn’t help but feel a little bit excited for Nemo to arrive. To me, Nemo seemed too cheerful to be a mean blizzard, and what the newscasters failed to mention were all the warm and fuzzy, cozy and snuggly things that take place during a snow storm. Puffy and fluffy, white and bright, snug and warm…these were just some of the adjectives that I was looking forward to this weekend. When Nemo finally arrived, all eight million New Yorkers were bundled up inside their lairs…except for the five of us, who threw on our coats and hats and headed out into the white night.



Folded into a blanket of snow, Central Park was serene. Feeling the soft crunch of fresh snow beneath our feet, we sang, we danced, we laughed, and made snow angels until we could no longer feel our hands and feet. We embraced the quiet, caught snowflakes on our tongues, and huddled together as we made our way home.



New York is in a constant state of hustle and bustle, and I know that in the long run there will be so many amazing things that I will remember about this incredible city–but what will stick with me forever will be the quiet moments that I had on the island with my friends, and this night will be one of them.

This cup is for Nemo
And my four comrades who braved the cold for some winter fun! 

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