Let Us Build a Snowman

200110718刘杨Penny

Sitting in the dorm, looking out the window at the leaves, the weather in our university is windy nearly all the time. However, the leaves are still this afternoon, along with my thoughts. Today is so hot that I can’t help thinking about winter, the time when I can build a snowman with my father.

When I was young, I lived in the countryside, and the technology was not so advanced in the countryside like today. I just had a few toys that I was tired of. In addition, my father was always busy, and I could usually only see him when we ate dinner. Fortunately, my father would spend more time with me in winter compared with the other seasons of the year. All of my family treasured this time, especially when it snowed and the accumulated snow was enough for us to build a snowman.

“Do you wanna build a snowman? My sweet! Come on! Look at the snow; how beautiful it is!” My father kindly called to me.

“I’m coming! Wait for me, Dad!” My voice sounded so exhilarated, with my eyes shining, for playing outside.

“Wear your gloves! It’s so cold outside; you will catch a cold,” My mom said to me anxiously and pretended to criticize to my father very angrily. “Can you feel how cold the out is? Be careful, remember?”

I rushed out like a puppy, “Dad, I’ll help you collect the snow. I want the most!”

“Well, of course. I need more snow; come on!” He laughed to me.

That day we played very happily. My mother leaned on the door with a sweet smile and love was overflowing from her eyes; our dog ran happily and rolled in the snow; my father and I collected the snow, playing, laughing, and clapping. Such nice days I had experienced for several years until I entered middle school and my father became ill.

After I entered middle school, the best school in our county, I had so much homework, and I felt stressed. What’s worse, I was traitorous at that time. In the first year of middle school, my grade was great. However, I was not confident and even self-contemptuous, because of my family background, I knew nothing about media devices. I became traitorous; I spent more money on playing and buying toys and snacks. My grades dropped quickly, and my headteacher contacted my parents.

My parents came quickly. They erupted into fury, and my mother even cried to me: “How could you do that? What did you do in your school? Why do you spend so much money while neglecting your studies? Do you still want to learn? Do you know your father...”

“Blah!” my father stood still without say anything. Now I noticed something was wrong. “What’s wrong with you, Father?”

“Nothing, you just have to be yourself,” y father said to me with disappointment. After that, I learned that my father was ill. He could not do hard work and even could not be angry. Of course, he didn’t build a snowman with me. In my opinion, he must have been upset for my bad behavior.

I wished I could have a chance to apologize to him; thus, I was trying to behave better. Later, I met some difficulties in my study when I was in senior high school. I fell into deeply self-doubt. I thought I was a fool because I couldn’t fully follow my teachers’ steps. I could not bear the stress, so I dialed my father’s phone number and told him my thoughts. To my surprise, he didn’t get angry with me. Actually, he encouraged me: “You are the best, nicest, and smartest girl in my heart. When you can’t understand something that your teacher said, you can ask for their teachers’ help. I think your teachers would like their students to ask them some questions. Come on! Believe in yourself!”

With my father’s encouragement, I did well in my entrance examinations. After my graduation from senior high school, my father took me home from school. I told him with expectation: “Can we build a snowman this winter?” My father said nothing at first, but I could see there were something shining in his eyes, “Of course, my sweet did so well in the examination.” We said nothing or I can’t remember what else we had talked about. I just knew I was happy, and so was my father.

The first term went quickly, and we fulfilled our promise to build a snowman together. Nonetheless, I noticed that there more than a little of my father hair had turned white, and there were several wrinkles on his face. I knew my father was getting old.

“Let us build a snowman every year! What’s your opinion, Dad?”

“I hope that!”

——THE END