The Scent of Winter

There’s something about the air tonight. I just stepped out onto the terrace for a moment, just to grab something, nothing special, and suddenly, I stopped. The familiar scent hit me. I stood still, breathing in deeply, and it took me back. It’s this distinct smell, the kind you can’t mistake, one that I’ve known since childhood but haven't felt for years. It's the smell of winter coming.

I don’t know how to describe it exactly, but it’s as if the air gets crisper, cleaner, like a fresh bite into an apple. The warmth of the day fades into something quieter, and there’s this scent that feels like dry leaves and cold winds all mixed together. It’s not the smell of rain, no, I know that one well enough, and trust me, I can sense that too before the first drop hits the earth. But the smell of winter is different. It’s like the world is taking a deep breath, preparing for the cold that will soon wrap around everything. Tonight, standing on the terrace, I could feel it in my bones before I even smelled it in the air. The chill was faint but present, like a whispered promise that winter was on its way.

I’ve missed this feeling. I’ve spent the last three years in the south, where winters are barely a whisper compared to the north. I didn’t realize how much I’d longed for this small, seemingly insignificant thing. Isn’t it funny how something so subtle can bring up such vivid memories? The cold, the smell of wood burning somewhere in the distance, the warm breath of chai against the sharp air. All of it rushed back to me tonight, and I couldn’t help but stand there for a while, just breathing it in.

It reminded me of that scene in Gilmore Girls, where Lorelai always knows when it’s going to snow. She can sense it before it even begins, the same way I feel winter approaching now. It's like an unspoken connection between nature and our senses, something not everyone notices but, for those of us who do, it’s magic. Her snow is my winter, just a few deep breaths and I know it’s coming, even before the cold really settles in.

Standing there, I realized how much I’ve missed this, the excitement of the change in seasons, the anticipation of colder nights, and the feeling of wrapping myself in layers. It’s almost strange to think that for the past three years, I’d almost forgotten what this felt like. Maybe that’s why it’s hitting me harder tonight. The excitement is bubbling up again, the kind I haven’t felt since leaving the north. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been away from it for so long or if it’s because the smell brings me comfort, but right now, it feels like everything is falling into place.

The terrace, with its cool air and faint breeze, almost feels alive in its own way. Like it, too, has been waiting for the return of winter, the same way I have. And now, here it is, slowly making its way back into my life, and I’m standing at the door, ready to welcome it. I don’t know what this winter will bring, but tonight, standing in that familiar scent, I felt ready for whatever comes