Can I Play?

http://www.time.com/time/today-in-pictures/0,31511,1958926,00.html

I imagine taking this photo of the White House in Washington DC in awe of the beauty of the snow as it lies on the fenced in lawn. Thinking back to the time I lived in Nebraska and the winter snow fall I would play in. I would take the time to make a snowman and dress it up with charcoal eyes and a carrot for its nose. I kept a top hat in storage just for the occasion and would place it on top of the snowman’s head. It was a wonderful experience.

Looking at the White House lawn I think how fun it would be to be inside the fence playing in the snow. Rolling out the three sections I need to build my snowman. I know there are people that would want four sections but I think the stability of three is best and it would also be a challenge to lift the fourth section onto the top to make the head. As I am building the snowman I stop to watch the children and their parents play. Some children are lying on the snow sweeping their arms and legs back and forth making snow angles while other children are having a snowball fight. The children would be running around chasing each other and hiding behind the snow covered trees to escape the inbound snowballs. All the people there are laughing and enjoying the time spent together. Just watching the activity around me brings a smile.

I return to completing the task at hand of rolling out the sections of my snowman and then start the process of assembling. I recruit some parents and children to lift the middle section onto the base. They help pack in snow between the sections to ensure the top does not roll off. I then place the head on the top and it completes the snowman perfectly. I did not have charcoal or a carrot to make the face but made indentations for the facial features. I stand back and admire the work and notice the United States flag flying over the White House and I know this is a special place and I am honored to be here.

After everyone is tired and needing to rest The President and his family come out to see the snowmen and angles that were made and comments on how wonderful it is to see the children play. The first family offer hot chocolate with marshmallows and hot apple cider to everyone. It is a welcome pleasure to warm our bodies and lift our spirits even more. The President’s children encourage the other children to go back and play, so the adults stay back and watch and remember back to a time when they were young.