Catherine Nicolai

I'd been noticing the extra minute of daylight in the morning, and at night, It still felt like it didn't add up to much. But I remembered what one of my yoga teachers used to say about small steps.

I'd been noticing the extra minute of daylight in the morning, and at night, It still felt like it didn't add up to much. But I remembered what one of my yoga teachers used to say about small steps.

One percent today, one percent tomorrow. And this morning, that one percent change was tangible.

One percent today, one percent tomorrow. And this morning, that one percent change was tangible.

One percent today, one percent tomorrow. And this morning, that one percent change was tangible.

There was a different scent in the air, a different texture of light as the sun cut across the horizon. It wasn't spring, I knew that, but it was a reminder that winter wasn't just one thing. It has shades. It is a spectrum of experiences. I'd noticed it when I stepped outside to get the newspaper.

There was a different scent in the air, a different texture of light as the sun cut across the horizon. It wasn't spring, I knew that, but it was a reminder that winter wasn't just one thing. It has shades. It is a spectrum of experiences. I'd noticed it when I stepped outside to get the newspaper.

There was a different scent in the air, a different texture of light as the sun cut across the horizon. It wasn't spring, I knew that, but it was a reminder that winter wasn't just one thing. It has shades. It is a spectrum of experiences. I'd noticed it when I stepped outside to get the newspaper.

Something I've done lately in the gloom, with my face wrapped up in a muffler, shuffling in my boots and reaching with damp mittens into the snowbank at the edge of the driveway.

Something I've done lately in the gloom, with my face wrapped up in a muffler, shuffling in my boots and reaching with damp mittens into the snowbank at the edge of the driveway.

Something I've done lately in the gloom, with my face wrapped up in a muffler, shuffling in my boots and reaching with damp mittens into the snowbank at the edge of the driveway.

But today, The air felt different. It was softer.

But today, The air felt different. It was softer.

But today, The air felt different. It was softer.

The crisp edge of it had been smoothed into something that was easy to breathe and had a slight sweet scent like rain on pavement. The bracing cold was suddenly less bracing. Instead of rounding my shoulders and hunching over to keep any warmth in, I stood tall and lifted my face to the open sky.

The crisp edge of it had been smoothed into something that was easy to breathe and had a slight sweet scent like rain on pavement. The bracing cold was suddenly less bracing. Instead of rounding my shoulders and hunching over to keep any warmth in, I stood tall and lifted my face to the open sky.

The crisp edge of it had been smoothed into something that was easy to breathe and had a slight sweet scent like rain on pavement. The bracing cold was suddenly less bracing. Instead of rounding my shoulders and hunching over to keep any warmth in, I stood tall and lifted my face to the open sky.

I let my scarf fall away from my neck and took slow, deep breaths. The sun made me blink, When I had seen it last, which now felt like weeks ago, it was a bright white, appearing rarely and between snow showers.

I let my scarf fall away from my neck and took slow, deep breaths. The sun made me blink, When I had seen it last, which now felt like weeks ago, it was a bright white, appearing rarely and between snow showers.

I let my scarf fall away from my neck and took slow, deep breaths. The sun made me blink, When I had seen it last, which now felt like weeks ago, it was a bright white, appearing rarely and between snow showers.