Tom’s digital alarm clock radio went off due to a this-early-morning car accident that he didn’t know about. Tom was working late at home last night (he couldn’t finish some documentation at work); consequently, he went to bed feeling extremely exhausted. A fearless driver stupidly challenged Nature and ended up crashing his car against an electric pole; as a result, its power transformer simply exploded.  Tom’s deep sleep didn’t allow him to hear all the skirmish caused by this collision: some curious neighbors having theories about it, the police car’s, firetruck’s and ambulance’s lights and sirens. All this effort was made just to find out the driver’s bravery on the road was not a valid reason or emergency but his own beer drinking birthday celebration. The high alcohol blood level couldn’t compete against the six-feet-one-inch snow barrier which covered the side of the street and electric pole.

 

And that’s why Tom didn’t realize all this was happening next door affecting his morning routine by changing his mood.

 

“Damn it!  It’s too late!  I’m late for work…”, Tom said after a quick shower and while combing his hair. “No time for breakfast… Thank God I prepared my briefcase before going to bed.”, he told himself to calm down. He walked to his studio, took his briefcase and walked to the living room to take and put on his coat, walked to the garage, started his car, waited a minute, and when he opened the garage gate, he realized that the entrance was all covered with snow. He couldn’t believe his eyes!

 

Tom knew what to do: he called his boss up in absent for work. His boss explained it was a general situation for everybody; so, there’s no need to worry. They agreed to work at home today and to have all documents and tasks ready for tomorrow.

 

Feeling a bit better, Tom cooked some breakfast, ate it up, and put himself to work.  He was a very responsible employee, indeed.  There’s no doubt about it. His life was his job and his job was his life.  He knows it and accepts it gladly. No regrets; therefore, no complaints. “You are what you choose to be and you must respect that! Besides, there are several kinds of people, anyway.”, he assumed.

 

Tom focused on all the papers’ moves. He keeps having everything the way it should be. Time came and passed: the hours were devoured by his mind’s actions. But somehow, somewhere, a sound called his attention. It came from the street, the metal-pavement happy melody of two spinning wagon wheels. “It must be an Amish buggy!”, he concluded. “But how comes?”, he wondered due to the earlier pile of snow. Then, he heard some sort of hubbub. “Those are laughs!  Children’s laughs and talks…”, Tom affirmed. Curiosity won its way. Tom was on his feet and went to the front door. He opened it to take a look at what’s going on. Everything was back to normal. Actually, there are some neighborhood children playing in the snow. Some of them are running while having a snowball fight, some are lying down to create snow angels, and some of the children are making snowmen. He keeps watching, carefully. Without knowing it, his face drew a wide smile, it’s shining. It’s like gazing at a wonderful view in a magical land.

 

Now he remembers… his childhood. Lancaster has always kept traditions for ages, nothing seems to change. Tom just loves it! Honest, hardworking, friendly and nice people everywhere and wonderful places to visit and enjoy: Route 30 Diner and Miller’s restaurant and bakery on Lincoln Highway; Ronks and Paradise with their train railroads; Bird-In-Hand and its Farmers Market; Plain & Fancy restaurant, souvenir shop, and hotel with its buggy rides on Old Philadelphia Pike; Intercourse with its Amish life, products and arts, spending quality time reading in its Public Library; and Strasburg!, with its square pizza at Pizza City and tasty ice cream on the N Decatur St and W Main St corner (he can even taste the flavor of his favorite cherry-vanilla ice cream), and its train theme places such as the National Toy Train Museum, the Red Caboose Motel, the Strasburg Rail Road and, of course, the Rail Road Museum of Pennsylvania, among so many others.

 

“Hey Tommy!  Let’s play!”, his brothers, sisters and friends proposed. He was 10 years old. “It’s a great day to play.”, they insisted.

 

“Mom, can we go to skate on the river, too?”, his older brother inquired.

 

“Are you finished with your house and school chores?”, she asked in response.

 

“Sure, mama. We did it all.”, all children answered as one.

 

“Go on, then.”, she replied.

 

Tom traveled back in time to those days when snow was the perfect excuse to have it all… Maybe its color really implies your heart’s chastity, for you to keep it alive as a grown person. Something Tom just noticed while looking at the youngsters’ activity. Suddenly, he’s feeling alive. Winter ties every element up. All things and living beings join to form a whole of excitement and adventure. Snow connects it all. It’s a tough soft tissue that caresses you to see what you are made of. It makes you be strong while feeling the elements.

 

Today’s snow achieved its goal: to unfreeze Tom’s heart. Heartbeats renewing his blood. Snow showed the way to treasure essential life factors. He comprehended it was the first time he really looked at the snow this winter and, in fact, for a long time. “Every season is a beginning, not an end.”, he thought.

 

Tom took a step forward… He walked a bit more on the snow as if he were feeling it with bare feet. He approached the kids. Then he told the playful children: “May I play with you?”

 

They nodded in agreement.

 

“What’s your name? We have seen you passing by yet we haven’t greeted you.”, they said.

 

“I see. My name is Tom. Nice to meet all of you.”, Tom introduced himself.

 

A couple of little girls closed up timidly. They welcomed him to their games by holding hands to guide Tom. The rest of them stopped doing whatever they were doing to pay attention to the new playing mate’s visit.

 

“Hi!”, said everybody.

 

The girls stopped holding his hands. Tom lost his balance and fell down on his back.

 

“The snow saved you, sir.”, a child explained.

 

Tom looked at him, at them, and started to laugh. It was a contagious laughing. The children echoed it.

 

“Hey Tommy, let’s play!” a kid invited.

 

Tom felt he was 10 again.