Winter in jail.

It's weird to see snow collect on barbed wire fences. It actually looks pretty. Like loops of yarn or something. The way the metal razors catch and hold the light and airy flakes. The mesh of the fence becomes opaque from the collection of snowflakes blanketing the surface. I lucky to have a room that has a wall of windows. And the kids loved watching the snow. And watching the snow does give us all a positive feeling. It's pure, it's light, free of almost any imperfection. Individual snowflakes that completely change a surface and cover dead limbs of trees, metal, wire, dark roads, holes, and sharp surfaces.

We actually turned off the lights so we could let the white light just pour in the windows. It was nice. Serene. Easy feeling.

Fortunately I got to go home early. I was home by 1 pm today. The kids went to their rooms, and they'll probably will watch tv and not be able to look out any windows at all. I wish this "system" could change. They're kids caught up in a lot of dangerous webs. Some of them making simple mistakes, but others pretending to be adults, hardcore, tough, a menace to society. The "system" almost perpetuates it.

But only when something simple happens, like snow, does it make them realize that they're all growing up way too fast, and they can recall a day when things were much simpler.

So, I'm home and I realized the chai I'm having is kind of like this day. Warm, airy....frothy... I'll drink it, and feel my belly become full and warm. But, my cup will be empty, cold and used.