You can’t have one without the other

I went out for a walk today, same route, same time. The thing about walking in the cold air is it freshens you up. You can feel the air going inside your lungs. It wakes you up. Sure you’re cold when you begin, but soon your body warms up and then there is no cold.

I love the winters here. I love the snow. I love the cold in general. It’s not ideal of course, but I will take cold over hot weather any day.

The snow transforms. When it falls, it’s cotton-like, soft, fluffy. You can walk on it. As it continues to snow, you get layers of snow. Then sometimes it rains, and then the snow becomes ice. It becomes treacherous.

Most side walks in Espoo/Helsinki are cleaned on a regular basis. They spray little rocks on the sidewalks to improve friction. But there are areas, nature trails for example, where it is not possible to clean the ice.

Last year I had walked in inches deep snow. As the weather warmed, it had become slush, and I had walked in it too. It is impossible to walk on snow or ice without spikes under your boots. Sure I’ve seen Finns almost skate through on ice. But I wasn’t born here. So yes, I need spikes.

My last pair broke in April, so I had ordered a new pair from Amazon. I have worn them only once this season.

This has been a fairly warm winter in Finland. In general conversation, I’ve had a lot of people tell me that this does not feel like winter. I have said the same thing to others.

We complain, but the consequence of this weather is that there is no snow where we walk. No need to slip and fall. No more funny reels!

I was walking today, and I thought about this. About actions and consequences.

I had a friend back home, who loved rains but hated what came after. The traffic, the smells, the mud and muck.

You can’t have one without the other.

If you have rain, you will have muddy streets.

If you have snow, it will freeze, and you will slip.