The Memories of the "Sisters of The Wind"... or the Coming of Yule (Part 1)

Snow has been falling all morning, snowflakes flowing in the wind and piling up on the windowsills. I set alone in the kitchen, a cup of coffee in my hand and Bast curled up in my lap, her tail moving slowly, lazily, as we watched the gentle, graceful dance of the snow outside. There was something very peaceful in the way the world was getting lost under all that white cotton and how it softened all sounds. I remembered being a child, maybe 6 or 7 years old, and playing in the snow, laughing and spinning in circles, drawing snow angels and making a snowman, while my mother set aside on a bench, watching me with a smile. She used to smile a lot, when I was little. Then, as time slipped by and things changed, her smile faded around the ages, and so did the sparkle in her eyes, though now, through the experience of age, I can realise that her fire never diminished. Inside, she was always that strong, independent and adventurous woman, who raised me up and thought me how to smile, and laugh and love with all my heart, as though every moment might be my last.

The memories made me a little sad, as I sipped my coffee. For some reason, I always miss my mother more around Christmas, or Yule, or however you and your religion calls it. At the end, in its core, it is always a celebration of family and friends, and is about being together with people who love you and care about you. It is about the decorations, and the presents, and about the warm fire in the heart, burning bright as the flickering glow of candles and lights of the season adorn your home and dance on laughing faces.

Bast mewed and jumped to the floor, stretching in the graceful way that cats seem to do. I put my mug aside - it has a big blue Cookie Monster with a Christmas hat on it - and closed my eyes, so that the sound of the falling snow and the quiet music, playing in the kitchen might wash over me. I was listening to Laura Powers, a very exquisite and accomplished musician, whose New Age sounds can melt your heart and fill it with warm light even on the coldest of winter days and the darkest of nights. The song was "Sisters of the Wind", my own personal favorite, and it completely fit my mood. Sad, but optimistic. Soft, but with a certain edge to it. Beautiful lyrics, that play on your souls' strings like the fingers of a skilful violinist. 

Wings of fortune
Beckon the dawn
Cross fields of heather
They circle the moors
Somewhere over the mists of morning
Beyond the mountains of sky
They'll pass right through your dreams
With a whispering sigh

They fly graceful and bold
The four winds of heaven
Rise shining like gold
Their world knows no end
Forever sisters of the wind

I'm not sure why, but this particular song always brings thoughts of Robert Jordan's "The Wheel of Time" saga in my head. Maybe it's the beautiful imagery, or Laura Powers' soft voice, or the otherworldly tune, but I simply can't help, but think of those books... And that makes me smile for completely different reasons. Especially with the snow outside... I feel as though I'm in the book "Winter's Heart", and am about to see Rand out in the storm any moment...

But enough of that. The nearing of Christmas, or Yule, means that it's time to bring some holiday spirit to the house and put on decorations, to help us invite the all the positive energy of the season to our house. Naturally, before I can decorate, I need to have it properly cleaned... Which might not be so difficult a task for a woman more skilled in the arts of household up-keeping, but for me... It has never been my strong side. So I made a mental note of calling a cleaning company, to come and take care of things, and finally got up to pour out the rest of my coffee and to wash my mug. Outside, the wind gave out a hard blow, making the windows shake. 

Chills ran down my spine. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up for a second... Then I shook my head and with the movement, shook off the weird feeling that had suddenly washed over me. Holidays tend to make me melancholic. There's nothing wrong with that, as long as I keep my mood under control and don't spoil Christmas for everyone else...

The kitchen phone rang loud and clear, chasing away the magical atmosphere Laura Powers had created. I sighed and let it ring for half a minute more, before it finally stopped. A small smile curved my lips. There, that wasn't so hard now, was it?

Seth was going to wait.