I had to write this for a class but I so enjoyed writing it and the outcome that I decided to share it. This is an emotional response to Aldo Leopold's "A Sand County Almanac" chapter one, January.
Rosie and Winter
Last year was the first year that my dog had seen actual snow. She turned thirteen that winter.
We had just moved to Riverton from South Carolina, a place where even the threat of snow cancels schools and sells out grocery stores. My dog, Rosie, whom we have had since I was just five years old, came along with us, not sure what was going on. We arrived in summer and the heat was too much for a double-coated dog. Luckily, she didn't have to wait long for snow to come.
I am unsure what breed of dog Rosie is, but from the looks of her she must be some sort of German shepherd mix. She has very long and thick hair, and though she enjoys romping around in summer, especially if there is a cold stream to splash in, she prefers colder temperatures where she can run for as long as she wants without worry of overheating. This is why I knew she would love the snow out here in Utah. When summer was finally over here and the first snows began to fall, you could see the excitement all over Rosie's face every time we went outside. Some people may argue that dogs cannot smile, but their argument would be forfeit upon looking at my dog's face when she is out in the snow. There is no denying that Rosie is meant for the snow.
There was one part of every day that I looked forward to: suiting up in coat, gloves, and hat at night and taking Rosie along the path near our house. I brought along a leash just in case, but it was not necessary; plus, it takes complete freedom in order to enjoy the snow to its fullest. Rosie would romp through the deepest layers of snow, tongue lolling and a huge grin on her face. She would bury her face in the ice and come up with a mouthful of it, taking pleasure in the biting cold as it melted on her tongue. This was pure bliss.
Rosie is an old dog: this year will be her fourteenth. She has been diagnosed with Lyme disease and malignant tumors cover her body. She has cataracts that nearly blind her and her hearing is almost completely gone. Some would say that it would be kinder to just let her go, but this is not just my dog, this is my sister. I have grown up with her, watched her grow from a puppy to the mature dog that she is. When I was sad and did not know who to turn to, she was always there to comfort me. And I have seen that she is not finished fighting; I have seen the snow revive in her something that we had all thought long gone: vitality.
We have experienced snow before, but never to the caliber of last year's "mild" winter. This was something completely new, not only for Rosie to experience but for me to watch her experience. Though I enjoy playing in the snow myself, there will never be something I enjoy more than watching one of my favorite people (yes, even dogs are a people) transform simply by the influence of nature. This is why I believe the natural world is important to sustain. This is why I have been pushed towards a degree in natural resource management. I believe that experiencing nature is an important part of your life, and even an important part of every day. Nature can restore vitality to you or awaken new meaning within you by just simply being a part of it. This why we must conserve the dwindling nature that is left to us, for it is something that all generations should experience and be a part of. Nature is something life changing.
For the mouse, snow may mean freedom from want and fear. For the skunk, it may mean something entirely different. But for Rosie, it means freedom and life.