Outdoor Writing Contest: Memory slope
I just woke up
Too excited to change
Into my day apparel
Wearing pajamas and snow gear
About to leave
Walking to the big, maroon Ford F-150
I feel the excitement building
With hot cocoa in hand
I put my hat on
Then gloves, then scarf
The cold awaits me
The warm truck
My dad driving
Me in the front seat
Brother and sister in the back
Sleds in the bed
Finally, we are there
We jump out of the truck
Not even in park yet
We grab our favorite sled and run
Over the hill, looking down
The wide, long fairway
Hole one
U of I Golf Course
Blanket of snow covering invisible grass
Awaiting our arrival
We start marking out tracks
Already getting cold
Not caring, having too much fun
Snowflakes falling
With the gray, early morning
Laughs fill the air
Smiles shoot back and forth
Snowballs here and there
Working
Hoping our hard work will be as great as we think
Finally we finish the paths
Each of us grabs a sled
Our dad watches over us
Laughing and smiling as he does
We all push off
Who will win?
It’s Preston
Oh, little brothers
We all start to climb the hill
Only to do it again
Next comes the train rides
Holding on to one another’s sleds
I have a feeling this won’t work
We do it anyway
We crash into each other
Flipping and tumbling
Rolling down the hill
Cold snow in the face
Back up the hill
Now it’s his turn
I sit down
He sits right behind me
Gives us a push
Down the hill we go
Laughing
Playful screaming
Smiles, wide as the ears
Back up
His turn with Preston
Then Emily
On this went
For the rest of the day
Happiness
Love
Our family
The cold finally got to us
Looking back at the hill
I see all the tracks
Snow angels
And boot prints left behind
Laughs and smiles
Still float in the air
Light snow, gray clouds
Picking up the sleds
Shaking off the excess snow
Blue-ish lips
Rosy cheeks and noses
Shivering teeth
Soaking socks, gloves, and hats
Nice warm truck
Heading home
To a warm house
Warm blankets
Hot chocolate
Nothing to do for the rest of day
But movies and naps
Memories of the day
Stay forever
Within the heart
Years later
He’s gone
But the memories are not
He died two years ago, today
Sadness
Memories
Love
One of my favorite memories
Sledding
Family
We haven’t gone back there
The U of I Golf Course
I still smile
When I think about that day
Don’t talk about it much
But that’s okay
Tears come and go
When I think about it
Wish I could re-live it
Have that much fun again
Be that happy again
Smile like I did
Laugh like I did
See them smile and laugh
Be free. Let go
I wish I could go back
We haven’t gone back there
The U of I Golf Course
I still smile
When I think about that day
Don’t talk about it much
But that’s okay
Tears come and go
When I think about it
I wish I could re-live it
And have that much fun again
Wish I could go back