We've got a blizzard coming in, and it's supposed to last all weekend. I'm not going anywhere, that's for sure. Stay warm.

Thinking about snow, what I believe to be the most beautiful piece of writing in the English language comes to mind, so relevant to growing old. From "The Dead" by James Joyce:

A few light taps upon the pane made him turn to the window. It had begun to snow again. He watched sleepily the flakes, silver and dark, falling obliquely against the lamplight. The time had come for him to set out on his journey westward. Yes, the newspapers were right: snow was general all over Ireland. It was falling on every part of the dark central plain, on the treeless hills, falling softly upon the Bog of Allen and, farther westward, softly falling into the dark mutinous Shannon waves. It was falling, too, upon every part of the lonely churchyard on the hill where Michael Furey lay buried. It lay thickly drifted on the crooked crosses and headstones, on the spears of the little gate, on the barren thorns. His soul swooned slowly as he heard the snow falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling, like the descent of their last end, upon all the living and the dead.

I just discovered a book that is fantastic...James Hillman "The Force of Character" ( 1999) which is a totally fresh look about the third phase of life ( Youth, Middle age, Senior being the general categories) He emphasizes that his book is not about preparing for death but about the benefits of living out the whole life cycle. He does emphasize what we seniors go though, that our goals for living are very different than in the first two stages, and what we are creating in the process. Good history there too about how different societies over the centuries have accommodated the aging. Of couse ours is probably one of the most disrespectful even when one considers geronticide...lol. I'll try to post on my blog when I get more into it..but it is terrific.
-Charlie, Mechanic Falls, Me- hunkering down for tomorrow?