Snow in Jo

It snowed yesterday in Johannesburg. My daughter sent me an excited text with photo at around 10am, and still I was pretty blasé, sipping coffee and cursing thoughtless patrons who didn't know how to shut a door, bringing gasps of freezing air and the odd wisp of white into the shop. White polystyrene-like balls of snow chased me all the way back to the office where they changed into large fluffy flakes that had everyone dancing around outside. Back at home both son and daughter clambered for my attention - "Look at my photos", "No look at mine." "What a sick day." (that means "really cool" in teen speak)

It was only then that I realised that neither of my children had ever experienced snow before. I was 15 when it last snowed in Jo'burg (now I'm showing my age). We were also let out of class to throw snowballs at each other and later back at the hostel, (I was in boarding school) we were again let out to make a snowman. I remember the excitement then but I had forgotten it in the oh-so-adult day of meetings and important things that I was doing. Talk about not stopping to smell the roses, or in this instance, not stopping to play in the snow!

It is indicative of where my head is, so up in the clouds, not taking notice. I'm confused, caught up and unfocused. A million things going on in my mind, not much taking root. it's a bit like paging madly through a magazine without reading anything - you get to the end feeling like you've done something but throw it to one side, dissatisfied. I have a finger in a whole lot of pies and nothing is really taking traction. I know this is normal when going through change but I can't say I like it much.

I wish I had stopped to play in the snow. Now it's too late, there's no snow today.