Katherine Nicolai

I'd heard once that each person is a string of DNA that would take over a century to recite. So I imagine that if we feel complicated at times, like we hold zones of temperate and inclement weather within ourselves, that they sometimes overlap and emerge on their own schedule. Well, that adds up. The morning had come in like a lion.

When I'd pushed aside the curtains in my bedroom, I'd found a few inches of fresh snow spread over the yard, and more falling fast behind it. The winter aconite. with its tiny yellow flowers that had appeared a week before around the roots of pine trees, were covered with white. And while they had been beautiful, I had to admit that this snowfall was as well. It slowed me down

When I'd pushed aside the curtains in my bedroom, I'd found a few inches of fresh snow spread over the yard, and more falling fast behind it. The winter aconite. with its tiny yellow flowers that had appeared a week before around the roots of pine trees, were covered with white. And while they had been beautiful, I had to admit that this snowfall was as well. It slowed me down

When I'd pushed aside the curtains in my bedroom, I'd found a few inches of fresh snow spread over the yard, and more falling fast behind it. The winter aconite. with its tiny yellow flowers that had appeared a week before around the roots of pine trees, were covered with white. And while they had been beautiful, I had to admit that this snowfall was as well. It slowed me down

In a real, literal way, I stopped, breathed, spent time just looking. I'd had a plan in the back of my mind. To dress and head into town. To spend the morning running errands. but suddenly none of that sounded pressing or appealing. And if the roads were slick, it seemed a silly risk to take in order to return some library books and stand in line at the post office.

In a real, literal way, I stopped, breathed, spent time just looking. I'd had a plan in the back of my mind. To dress and head into town. To spend the morning running errands. but suddenly none of that sounded pressing or appealing. And if the roads were slick, it seemed a silly risk to take in order to return some library books and stand in line at the post office.

In a real, literal way, I stopped, breathed, spent time just looking. I'd had a plan in the back of my mind. To dress and head into town. To spend the morning running errands. but suddenly none of that sounded pressing or appealing. And if the roads were slick, it seemed a silly risk to take in order to return some library books and stand in line at the post office.

No, I should stay tucked in at home. bundle up and enjoy watching the snow come down. It hadn't really taken much time to convince myself of this. I was still standing in front of the window with the curtain in my hand. A gust of wind blew a thick wave of flakes against the panes, when I could feel the chill of it on my skin. I could get back into bed.

No, I should stay tucked in at home. bundle up and enjoy watching the snow come down. It hadn't really taken much time to convince myself of this. I was still standing in front of the window with the curtain in my hand. A gust of wind blew a thick wave of flakes against the panes, when I could feel the chill of it on my skin. I could get back into bed.

No, I should stay tucked in at home. bundle up and enjoy watching the snow come down. It hadn't really taken much time to convince myself of this. I was still standing in front of the window with the curtain in my hand. A gust of wind blew a thick wave of flakes against the panes, when I could feel the chill of it on my skin. I could get back into bed.

That was always a lovely option, but I thought about another one that I rarely took but would feel so good right now. A morning bath. Oh, a morning bath. It sets the perfect tone for a day when you don't have to rush off to anything. It says, today we are going slow. I stepped into the bathroom and opened the tap over the tub. In the cabinet, I looked through the bottles and jars.

That was always a lovely option, but I thought about another one that I rarely took but would feel so good right now. A morning bath. Oh, a morning bath. It sets the perfect tone for a day when you don't have to rush off to anything. It says, today we are going slow. I stepped into the bathroom and opened the tap over the tub. In the cabinet, I looked through the bottles and jars.

That was always a lovely option, but I thought about another one that I rarely took but would feel so good right now. A morning bath. Oh, a morning bath. It sets the perfect tone for a day when you don't have to rush off to anything. It says, today we are going slow. I stepped into the bathroom and opened the tap over the tub. In the cabinet, I looked through the bottles and jars.

I had some Epsom salts, good for soaking when my body was achy, as well as a jar a friend had gifted me with rose petals, grains of lavender mixed into the salts. It smelled wonderful, but last time I'd used it, I'd been picking the lavender out of my hair for a few days. Instead, I reached for a bottle of pearly bubble bath and trickled a stream of it into the steaming water.

I had some Epsom salts, good for soaking when my body was achy, as well as a jar a friend had gifted me with rose petals, grains of lavender mixed into the salts. It smelled wonderful, but last time I'd used it, I'd been picking the lavender out of my hair for a few days. Instead, I reached for a bottle of pearly bubble bath and trickled a stream of it into the steaming water.

I had some Epsom salts, good for soaking when my body was achy, as well as a jar a friend had gifted me with rose petals, grains of lavender mixed into the salts. It smelled wonderful, but last time I'd used it, I'd been picking the lavender out of my hair for a few days. Instead, I reached for a bottle of pearly bubble bath and trickled a stream of it into the steaming water.

As the tub filled, I got a fresh towel and washcloth from the linen closet, my book from the bedside table, and a tall glass of water from the kitchen. It's strange what feels indulgent to you at different stages in your life. When I was younger, it wouldn't have been staying home to take a bath on a Saturday morning. But here I was.

As the tub filled, I got a fresh towel and washcloth from the linen closet, my book from the bedside table, and a tall glass of water from the kitchen. It's strange what feels indulgent to you at different stages in your life. When I was younger, it wouldn't have been staying home to take a bath on a Saturday morning. But here I was.

As the tub filled, I got a fresh towel and washcloth from the linen closet, my book from the bedside table, and a tall glass of water from the kitchen. It's strange what feels indulgent to you at different stages in your life. When I was younger, it wouldn't have been staying home to take a bath on a Saturday morning. But here I was.

Maybe it is a gift of aging, a growing understanding of what was enough. and a capacity to enjoy it when you have it. In that first minute in the hot water, my mind went peacefully quiet. I wasn't thinking much of anything, just feeling the heat and the relaxation in my muscles. I stretched out in the tub and closed my eyes. I could hear the wind blowing around the house.