Hills, Both ways.

In our day, we had to go to school, uphill, both ways. City kids had no bus to protect us on our way to school. We became tough winter warriors in the trenches of the winter battles. Heavy winter jackets, bread wrapper lined boots, hand knitted mittens and scarves protected our little beings.

Out the door we went as our friends walked up the road trudging new foot marks in the freshly fallen snow. We traveled together. Was it companionship or was it for safety? I have often wondered. Yet, we didn't care we chatted as we fought the roaring wind. I remembering many mornings where we yelled "good morning" over the yell of the roaring wind. Snow days were few and far between so my friends and I endured the winter weather together.

Like a pack of wolves we followed behind each other. The leader broke the trail and the littler ones followed behind in their steps. As I relive this memory. we moved in wolf-like migration with a protector following behind. Wise, Native children trudging our way to school. Wonderfully wildly strong like our ancestors before us to taught us the lessons of brother wolf.

While at school, the weather raged. Recess was cherished by all our friends as we played together. Mittens laid to rest to dry. At the day's end, we climbed the snow hills again as we trudged back home. Both ways we trudged together up the snowy hills as the windy, cold weather raged.