I slip on my dark grey fleece jacket, and pull on my knitted socks with fuzzy boots. I step out into the backyard and walk slowly, gently. Taking my time with every step to the forest beyond my yard, I look at the sky with cotton clouds and slivers of sunshine. I look around at the yard. Taking in every fraction of the simple moments that lead me to the thick forest.

The forest is filled with tall trees baren from winter’s chilling, bitter breath. The cool air dances around me, caressing my skin sweetly. I shiver and pull my hands into my sleeves to avoid frostbite. The sun looms through the branches and sparkles against the snow. I inhale the thick frosty air and hum the song ‘Let It Go’ by the icy Disney Queen Elsa.  I twirl around the trees and trail my hand against the rough bark. I leap around the roots and fallen branches. I dance around for moments, maybe minutes, maybe hours until my breath becomes thick, intense and cold. The sound of my humming thins out in shaky laughter and the occasional giggle. I then plop down upon a random place of empty space between masses of trees. Vaguely, I shiver from the frozen earth soaking through my denim.

           “This is perfect,” I said to the trees, the sky, the sun, the snow and the earth.

But mostly I just spoke to myself. My breath once past my lips shifts to little cloudy puffs and floats off into the air. The isolation of my voice from all other sounds made it feel louder than it actually was I sat there as if aligned with the quiet forest. Time standing still, my breath still, my heart still. Everything still…

  “Cassandra,” my mother calls, and in a blink the silence is gone. As if just waking up from a dream my body jolts to life, and I pick myself up off the ground. jogging to the edge of the forest. before I leave the space behind I pause, and pat the tree lovingly. The wind howls in my direction as if saying a sad goodbye. I turn to the forest and smile.

      “Goodbye” I whisper back.