Swish, Swish, Swish,
Swish, Swish, Swish
by reginald daniel
Swish Swash Swoof! Say that out loud for a smile and a refreshing sound. The wipers on the bus go that way, as I learned during a delightful reading and sing-a-long with 2 year old Derek about 30 years ago.
A year later, Edith and I had Derek on skis in his little green snow suit. It was the beginning of a family affair that has brought delight for three decades. We three learned how to downhill ski, but the cross country style is a style we enjoyed immensley.
For those of you have never been skiing, it is a tad tuff to describe the freedom and exhiliration that is part of the warp and woof of this activity. What makes cross country skiing so wonderful? The sheer stupendous beauty of the snow, some spectacular scenery, and the sweet serenity of almost silence. And friends who ski with you. Plus, there is the physical exercise, the shaking and scattering of cobwebbs, and the dusting away of winter cabin fever. Hot chocolate or a cup of hot apple cider caps off a satisfying stint of swishing around the trails.
Although I take pleasure in skiing alone at times, skiing has been my favorite activity with family and friends. It has been a highlight for our family. And after Derek grew up and moved away, cross country skiing was still a special time for Edith and me.
Today I skiied at mine and Edith's favorite park. The park is where we are having a memorial tree planted in the springtime. It was my first time to ski since Edith's death. I left some tears along the trail, but brought home some cherished memories.
Oh, the "almost silence"? When you cross country ski, there is always the swishing and crunching of skis and poles on snow. It becomes a sweet, melodic sound, rhythmically rhyming with the beat of your heart and the chirping of chicadees and sparrows along the path.
For me the song is still sweet, but it has sadly and stunningly shifted into swish, swish, swish.
As for Edith, she was swooshed away and stashed in an eternal springtime that defies description.
