Snow Angels

This is a story of childhood love and loss and remembrance.

                 The year was 1969, Lily was 9 and in the third grade. Lily loved school, she also loved winter. It was a beautiful winter afternoon, Lily sat gazing out the classroom window dreamily watching giant snowflakes dancing toward the ground.

                “Lily, please pay attention,” Mrs. Spilsbury repeated.

                “I’m sorry, the snow is just so beautiful.”

                “I know it is, but we have math problems to work on. The snow will still be there after school.” Her teacher smiled and motioned for Lily to come to the blackboard.

                The afternoon passed slowly. Lily couldn’t concentrate no matter how hard she tried. All she could think about was all that soft fluffy snow waiting for her to come and play. The snow was still falling as Lily and her friends started home, it was up to their knees!

                ‘I hate snow!” her friend Kellie complained.

                “Not me I love it,” Lily bent down and formed a snowball but the snow was so soft it fell apart in her gloves. This snow wasn’t good for snowballs, but it was perfect for one thing.

                “Let’s make snow angels,” she suggested.

                “No way, I’m not laying down in that stuff,” Kellie declared.

                “Me either,” Susan added. The girls continued on their way. They reached Susan’s and Kellie’s houses and both girls waved goodbye. When Lily got home she waved at her brother who was busy shoveling the driveway, she went in and quickly changed into her snow pants and hurried back outside. She twirled around on the freshly cleared driveway catching snowflakes on her tongue and felt them sticking to her eyelashes. She stomped through the powder in the yard and found a nice fresh spot of untouched snow and fell backwards, she moved her arms and legs vigorously back and forth. Just as she was getting ready to get up a shadow fell over her and a hand reached down and hauled her to her feet.

                “Daddy!” she squealed.

                “Hi sweetheart, my what a beautiful snow angel, she needs a daddy angel don’t you think?”

                “Yes daddy.” He stood a few feet away from her angel and fell backwards in the snow. He moved his arms and legs back and forth enthusiastically for a minute, then took Lily’s proffered hand and stood up. They stood back and admired their work.

                “Look daddy, they’re holding hands” Lily exclaimed.

                “Just like us,” daddy took Lily’s hand in his “I’m freezing, let’s go in and get some hot chocolate”

                “Yum,” they tramped in the house together.

The year was 2015, Lily sipped her hot chocolate and gazed out the window at the heavily falling snow. She smiled and reached for her coat. Out in the back yard she spread her arms and fell backwards in the deep soft snow. She slowly moved her arms and legs back and forth. Tears filled her eyes as she slowly stood up. She scanned the Heavens as snow softly caressed her face and mixed with her tears.

                “This angel is for you daddy, I love you” she whispered.

Reviews

[J. K. Metz]

Very sweet story, nice descriptions and I like the ending in which Lily is remembering her dad.

[piper]

Thanks J.K.!!

[Leslie Flemons]

This is such a cute and beautiful story! I love your writing! You are really talented. But, there are a few grammatical errors that you should fix. But, other than that, this story is amazing!