by
Claudia Harriman
Sitting quietly, the only sound the hum of the refrigerator, I look through lace curtains at the dark November sky. The wind blows hard. With the fall leaves now gone, the trees look so bare. The scene looks just like what it is: the portent of weather to come, and soon.
I think of other wintry days in other houses, the way the cold winter sun comes in low, creating dramatic shadows. The weather can be powerful but we still have our home around us, barring catastrophe. Late in the afternoon on a winter day, I love to go out walking to experience the weather, to see the cold sun hitting the tops of the trees. Sometimes dark clouds part enough for the pale sun to show through. The angle of the sun is different then, and it seems the earth is grateful for even those weak rays of warmth.
When I go into my warm house, it feels like a shawl is wrapped around my shoulders. While I’m cooking, I glance out at the changing sky. I feel nourished by Mother Nature, by God’s handiwork. My dog looks into my eyes, telling me it’s her suppertime too. The cat winds around my legs and meows. They know what time it is. I pour two glasses of wine and take one in to my husband. He’s made a fire and the living room is softly lit and beautiful, so welcoming and peaceful.
There were other Novembers when my world was not as secure, when the weather underscored a lonely life, a lost soul, when going out into a raw windy day brought shivers of fear and grief. When my world was so shaken, it was unrecognizable to me and I despaired of finding my way; when there was no loving pet waiting to welcome me, to say nothing of a loving spouse. But God’s world is always beautiful and being able to see the gray sky, to feel the piercing wind, to see the world going into hibernation, reminded me I could do the same thing. And in the same way, I came back to life in the Spring.
-- November 2008
Claudia Harriman retired in 2005 and discovered a whole new way of life when she enrolled in a creative writing course. She had worked in a bank for many years and looked forward to retiring -- spending time with her husband, grandchildren, and adopting a dog. Those pleasures are ongoing together with her enjoyment of writing. Choosing from the dozens of short stories she has written, she plans to publish a collection soon.
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