The Winter in My Life

If winter means a time for snow angels and holiday fun for most people, it carries a different meaning for me – it was you. Winter has always been my favourite season, and there was a reason why I never had the courage to tell you why. Like snowflakes, you fell into my life as if by magic. It seemed as though the moment I closed my eyes to bid autumn goodbye, the first snow came fluttering through the wind, announcing the arrival of a new phase in life. You slipped into my heart ever so silently, filling the empty void left vacant for years; gentle was the way you taught me how to love, and to appreciate the littlest things in life. You were pure as the snow that lay untouched on rooftops. Even in the coldest temperatures, your innocent smile never failed to melt my heart and your sweet voice was the best gift I could receive after a whole day of trudging in the woods. People warned us about frozen lakes, but no one told me of just how fragile you were. Your eyes were starting to lose its glimmer, like a dying star struggling to stay alive. You held onto a snowball of worries which you passed off as a snowman, afraid that I would grow too concerned. Seasons changed, and so did we. That snowball eventually melted, trapping you in the depths of icy water. You became the ribbon on the tree that stood alone in the wind, braving the harshest conditions with no word of complaint. You faded into the dark of the winter night, existing in a space where I could never reach you - at least for now. You were the winter in my life, the reason why winter meant so much more to me than a white Christmas. Yet, all that is left now are simply memories that remind me of how much I loved you, and the small hope that when winter comes round again, it will bring you back to me.