Opinion
Pia's picks: these stools have got the hang of it
by Pia Seidel
Snow in Zurich
1.12.2020
Translation: machine translated
Instead of a picture on Instagram, here's a little something from the poetry album for the first snow.
The sky is brighter than usual. Individual unique flakes are gently carried through the air by the wind. Until gravity drives them to the ground. There they form a white blanket that covers the city protectively while it still sleeps. It covers the tower of St Joseph's Church, gives the local mountain a coat of paint and, for once, even sticks to the dark ravine of Langstrasse.
The city falls silent. The snow covers the wounds, the tarmac. It silences the screams and swallows the murmur of the engines. Instead, faint voices become audible. White smoke flows restlessly upwards, becoming one with the thick film of fog. What in Rome is a sign of a new head, in Zurich stands for a warm parlour. In the narrow corners, an unexpected expanse spreads out and offers space for distracted thoughts.
Small lights shine in the windows. Faces are glued to the panes, delighting in the auspicious stars of the fog. The whole city pauses for a moment. Today, doors are being opened everywhere behind closed gates. Tense fingers hope that the pictures will reveal a little bit of normality. And yet she stands outside in a white skirt, visiting the lonely, the loving, the exhausted and the convalescent, the poor and the rich alike.
With its fluffy adornment, the city suddenly becomes quite lovely. The inhabitants do the same. Year after year, the first snow enchants with its magic. For a brief moment, it makes you forget all the bad news. It envelops the barren corners like a wad of cotton wool, careful to provide a soft bed for those who stumble. The cold no longer feels icy.
The white blanket is also a reminder. Cars slide towards their destination, the federal railways are behind schedule. The city is a little out of joint, circling mindfully around itself. Instead of looking down at themselves, curious pairs of eyes gaze into the newfound vastness of this city. They recognise the beauty of the ornate balconies, the lean plane trees and the unused goods of fellow human beings that have been placed there for the taking. The snow, it advises mindfulness.
My life in a nutshell? On a quest to broaden my horizon. I love discovering and learning new skills and I see a chance to experience something new in everything – be it travelling, reading, cooking, movies or DIY.
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