Ice

I walked on the ice..The creek had been frozen for a week.

I was 12..I had long brown hair almost to my waist and I had on a beautiful brown fur parka that had buttons made of bone.

It was a magical day..The ice made everything feel surreal. I walked on the deepest part of the creek almost wishing it would break..That way if I died it would be such a tragedy. It would have been in the papers and my classmates would have mourned me. My Mom and sisters would throw themselves on my coffin and weep loudly inconsolably, almost dying from losing me.

The thoughts of a 12 year old are hard to understand at times.

My cheeks were on fire from the cold as I walked home.... I studied the snow..With huge icicles that hung off the houses. I suddenly felt quite sad..Time seemed to be going so fast. I had remembered when I was 5 . And thoughts of those times filled my head on my walk home ..I was mixed with happy thoughts and sad ones.

I reached home that evening and Mom had made beef stew. I remember looking at her and loving her so much at that moment..I ran up and hugged her and told her the food smelled so good. She said, "Well go eat silly."

And I did with eyes of a 40 year old instead of a 12 year old. Thanking God in my heart for the good times.

Nita