The journey

While frosted clouds fought against incipient rays of light, a little snowflake was blinded by the sunbeam.

She opened her eyes and blurry colors with undefined shapes started to appear.

Suddenly, a black and white vision made a whoosh! sound and a feather fell alongside.

-Hi there Miss! – said the feather.

-Hi!... What´s going on? … Are we going somewhere? -

-Well, yes!... All the way down! - the feather laughed.

-Oh… okay…- the snowflake said without understanding.

-I believe you have just fallen from up above, but I have been around for some time; it´s been quite a ride I must say! - the feather circled the falling snowflake.

-So… what do I do? What is my purpose?... just… fall? – her branches glowing like diamonds.

-Well, I don’t know but… now that I have met you, I think that all the things that I have seen were preparing me to be worth traveling with you- said the falling feather looking at her in awe.

The snowflake didn´t have the ability to blush but she sure glowed a little bit more.

He had never tought about his purpose, but he had been traveling since he could remember, that was his purpose maybe, to see it all, to be a travel buddy, he was company for the goose and now it was his turn to be her company, the snowflake’s company, he felt honored.

-Would you like me to tell you a few stories? - He said gallantly.

-Yes, please- the snowflake smiled.

The feather told her everything he had seen as an Asian goose feather.

About the time that he, the goose and her fellow feathers on the bird, flew above the Himalayas, all the climbers they saw, the flags, the animals, flowers, colors, textures and smells.

He spoke about everything in such a detail, the emotions and his way with words made her feel as if she was living a hundred lives, and the feather felt as if he was living every experience again; with her.

He looked down and he knew he didn’t have much time; all the other times he wasn’t afraid at all, he knew he would be up again.

The rush he felt as the goose he was once part of, dove to the ground was now gone.

This fall was for good.

The feather fell on a nest resting on a tree, his journey hadn´t end, there were more things to come.

The snowflake was now falling alone.

She was surrounded by her fellow snowflakes that looked unbothered by the situation, closer to the ground, she now saw people, trees, dogs and other things.

A skating rink seemed to be the place she would fall, it was late and there weren’t a lot of people skating, a couple were holding hands in an attempt not to fall down, a young girl was cheered by her parents as she swirled with ease and grace.

She remembered all the things the feather had said and she looked at everything with the same emotion.

Near the rink, a young woman with her back against the trunk of a cherry blossom had her eyes closed, the snowflake made an effort to get closer, she noticed the woman had something in her hands, wrinkled papers with symbols on it.

She folded them carefully and put them inside her coat pocket.

She walked a few steps and then went back, she stood there under the snow while the couple on the ice rink managed to get out of the ice, she had to crawl as he happily helped her get on her feet.

The young girl got out of the ice with the same grace she had been skating, she jumped straight on the snow.

Everybody left, the young woman was still there, she turned around and let out a sigh of defeat.

The snowflake saw her shiny branches starting to disappear, her sadness was only matched by the sorrow of the young woman she just fell on.

The young woman felt the snowflake fall on her cheek.

She had a hunch and turned around.

There, a young man was standing under a tree; the woman ghasped and walked towards him.

-Hi… I thought you wouldn´t come…- She said to the young man who took a few steps towards her while he put his hands in his jacket pockets.

-I´m sorry…- he said with a soft voice. – I came here a while ago but… I… -

-You were having second thoughts- her face grim with sadness.

-Yes… well, no! I mean, not about you! - He said as he got closer to her. – It´s just that since our parents arranged our marriage, I felt guilty about taking you as a wife… I mean… look at you… you are magnificent, you are… well… way above my league and… I was going to tell my parents that you didn´t show to our meeting and that I thought it was okay, that… - he didn´t finish the sentence, he just shrugged his shoulders and looked down.

- I was just letting you go, you deserve better, that´s it-

He finished the sentence just in time to hide the fact that his voice was starting to break.

Snow started to fall and they both looked up.

She walked closer to him and grabbed his face with both hands.

-I always knew you were the one for me, and then I came here with my hopes up and ... you didn´t show… I was going to go when I felt something on my cheek…- she touched the spot where the snowflake fell -...and it made me turn around… I was hoping…I was looking for a sign when… "-

He kissed her under the first snow.

It is well known that first snows are known to be a good omen to a loving union that will last forever.

That made the little feather on an empty nest feel warm, knowing that his beloved snowflake did not end her journey in vain, but she made another one start.