Ephemeral Snowflakes

  • by Amy Earls

    • Appreciating the transient beauty of falling snow.

    Sunday, January 18, 2026

    Winter’s chill has returned. It’s icy fingers have slowly crept though the old bricks and into the house. My feet are cold as I sit here at my desk to write (even though the heat is set to 70°F). The sun is late getting up today and it’s light slow to fill the sky. It was snowing when I woke up, around 7 am (EST). I could see the soft flakes fluttering down in the light of the street lamp. They have continued gently falling even though the forecast is completely contradictory (partly cloudy skies and zero percent chance of precipitation?).

    Surprise snowfall on the morning of January 18, 2026. Photo Credit: Amy Earls

    Delicate Patterns in Nature

    Speaking of snow, did you know that snowflakes are fractals? What is a fractal? Allow me to elaborate, and I promise not to get too nerdy on you.

    On its most basic level, a fractal is a repeating pattern that reduces in size at each repetition. Think how tree branches or ferns grow smaller towards the tips, repeating the same growth pattern on a smaller and smaller scale. Snowflakes are a perfect example of fractals in nature. Each arm has tiny side branches that have even tinier sub-branches! They also display hexagonal symmetry, which means snowflakes ALWAYS have six (identical) sides due to the crystalline structure of water as it freezes1. Pretty cool, huh?

    Intricate snowflakes up close.
    Image from Unsplash.com; Photo Credit: Aaron Burden

    A Special Snowflake

    Is there a lesson to be found in the wafting snowflakes? They have such a transient, ephemeral quality. A mesmerizing display of natural beauty. A reminder that life is magical. These phenomena that happen all around us, and this world itself, are part of an intricate interwoven tapestry. Miracles of the universe, and so, by the way, are you.

    Yet I am sure it’s all been said before. I know that my appreciation for nature is nothing original. It goes back as far as recorded history, perhaps even farther. I am just another voice, reiterating the same line of thought. However, maybe this recurrence and repetition is what is significant. That appreciating nature is an essential component of the human experience. That the gift of our intelligence allows us the capacity to ponder the profound.

    As we grow older, we tend to lose that sense of childhood wonder and begin to take these things for granted. I would like to suggest that it should be the opposite. As our understanding of the world grows, so too should our appreciation. Recognition that our existence on this planet IS the anomaly. If that wasn’t convincing enough for you, scientific studies have shown that, “Earth is the only celestial body known to have stable bodies of liquid water on its surface,” (in the known universe)2. The fact of the matter is that we literally live in a magical snow globe. So when you see snowflakes falling, take a moment to remember how special they are.

    Light illuminating delicate snowflake patterns.
    Image from Unsplash.com; Photo Credit: Kalle Kortelainen

    Mono-no-aware

    This entire chain of thought has reminded me of the Japanese concept known as “mono-no-aware.” A phrase that is often translated as, “the pathos of things,” or an “empathy towards things.” It references the ancient aesthetic appreciation of impermanence and also expresses a gentle sadness regarding the fleeting, transient nature of life. Ultimately, this awareness leads to a deeper sense of gratitude for the beauty of each passing moment.3 I cannot think of a more fitting description for snowfall.

    Regardless of the reason that inspires your appreciation, I think that we can all agree that snow (and this swirling blue planet we call home) is magical.

    “Nature is full of genius, full of the divinity; so that not a snowflake escapes its fashioning hand.”

    – Henry David Thoreau
    Planet Earth. Image from Unsplash.com; Photo Credit: Javier Miranda
    1. Mathnasium – https://www.mathnasium.com/math-centers/hydepark/news/mathematics-snowflakes-natures-exquisite-mathematical-masterpiece-hp
      Science News – https://www.snexplores.org/article/fractals-patterns-all-around
      Smithsonian – https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/snowflakes-may-have-different-designs-but-they-always-have-six-sides-172052136/ ↩︎
    2. Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraterrestrial_liquid_water
      National Ocean Service – https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/et-oceans.html ↩︎
    3. Toki – https://www.toki.tokyo/blogt/mono-no-aware-aesthetics-of-a-fleeting-word
      Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mono_no_aware ↩︎
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