Year after year, at Christmastime, I would see our city covered in white. But that is only a child's imagination that would never ever come to pass. You see, the Philippines is near the equator. We only have two seasons there: sunny and rainy. Wishing for snow is like asking to walk on water.
Is winter really that cold? Will Santa come to send me my gifts? Is ice skating easy to do like how it appears on screen? I am mesmerized to see cities covered in white with evergreen trees clothed in yellow lights. People wear layers and layers of coats, knitted scarves, and boots.
Do reindeers have branchlike antlers? Do children laugh when they make a snowman? The questions kept on flowing. I couldn't be there in a cold place at Christmastime but my imagination could, so I let it soar.
I was but a young dreamer; gullible at that. I believe every superstition the adults told me to do. Shake the coins in your pocket when new year's eve hits, so your guaranteed money for the rest of the year. And when a neighbor shared her tale of Santa visiting last night, I readily accepted it to be true. Though, some of my playmates thought it's a made-up story of a dreamer. To me, however, all things are pure.
The time I started to question what people said to be true happened after years and years of jumping higher and higher on New Year's Eve so I could grow tall like Miss Universe. Obviously, I never did. I never got past 5'1". Haha.
But I never once doubted in a winter wonderland. I knew it to be real, existing in a faraway land, miles and miles at a distance away from the equator. Could I experience it in my lifetime? Time could only tell.
When the husband's company offered him a job opportunity to the US, I was exhilarated. There will be new experiences, new places to see, new friends, new memories. Ah yes, I look forward to the prospect of moving. Will it also snow in Austin?
I learned, however, snow is rare in Austin; almost a miracle. Though probability is minuscule, it can still happen so I prayed. And... guess what? It came last week, three years after we relocated to Texas, USA from Singapore. Everyone in Austin is freaking out! Haha.
The snow fell at night. It was still there the next morning and melted at noon. I made sure to file this rare occurrence in film so I took my DSLR camera out that morning and captured stills. Though winter wonderland happened for a moment; I'm super grateful. I can't help but wonder, Did someone made an effort to build Mr. Snowman that day? Haha.
The miracle that happened last week is extra special because it was the first-time-ever winter wonderland experience in my life. And I got to enjoy it together with my family in a place that receives almost no snow.
Superstitions may not be real but dreams could become reality.
Superstitions may not be real but dreams could become reality.