Looking for Signs - March 9th

The 9th does not belong to the other days in March because it marks a birthday. I took the day off work because I couldn't bear the thought of meaningless office duties crowding out the hours, crowding out my thoughts.

At 8:00am I pulled the blanket down from the window. The streets outside were filled with grey cloud, thick heavy snowflakes tumbling down, spiralling up and occasionally throwing themselves recklessly against the glass.

I'd imagined a day of quiet reflection; Instead of strolling by the sea in a meditative fashion, we were able to take only sidelong glances at the grey shrouded seashore, whilst pushing forward into a blizzard of swiping, vindictive snow.

At Ogden Point cafe we thawed out, sipping ginger tea and munching on homemade chocolate cookies. Then we reviewed the photographs we'd taken en-route, the stillness of the images belying the rough buffeting of the wind, the clever flowers sheltering in low, quiet corners. Resilient purple, bowed yellow, graceful pink.

As we sat in silence at the cafe and watched the falling snow, in the distance a circle of sunlight appeared on the ocean. Then the ray of sunshine shifted and just for a few brief minutes our table was bathed in a watery luminence whilst, outside the window, snow continued to fall.