We have an innate tendency to complain and whine when the predictable and expected doesn’t happen. Weather is one such case, especially when we await sunshine and the absence of rain. I’ve written about it before, and I’ll say it again. It wasn’t until I came to live in Berlin back in 2001 for the first time that I lost my love for snow and fog. The bitter northeastern cold and bone-chilling winds that drive a stake through my soul on the best of days is something I could never come to terms with, so I was delighted to leave Berlin in 2006, hoping never to return. Ha! Never say never, and where did I find myself running to in order for my life to fall apart? You guessed it, Berlin.
This is the city that I have loved to hate, and consequently, hated to love. Now, four years later, I begrudgingly admit to appreciating the city with all its beauty and flaws, quirks and unpredictability. It is a very forgiving city, and the perfect place for those who are a little lost in life desperately trying to find themselves. I found myself giving Berlin a second chance like an errant lover gone astray, on the condition that the betrayal would not become a recurring thing. Well, as is typical with second chance romances, you consciously do things differently, and lo and behold, I fell in love with snow and fog. Good Lord, I can’t believe I just wrote that!
Berlin experienced its first significant snowfall for 2021 last week and of course I had to grab my camera before I could gulp down my morning coffee and boot my brain to fully-functioning levels. You never know how long the snowfall will last in this crazy city, but one thing is for sure, it never really stays long enough before it turns into the disgusting slush and mush.
As I wrote the other day, winter photography is a unique experience, and the opportunities it presents for zen and minimalist photography is endless. Sometimes it’s just the simple things that we would ordinarily overlook or trample without a second thought. But then there are the breathtaking moments that bring me to a standstill and I have to be grateful for having a second chance at loving winter.
When life gives you a second chance, give it your best shot.
– Unknown
FrogDiva Thoughts 