Let The Snow Fall

             Let The Snow Fall .
             I remember growing up on Long Island, New York. Only now that I have recently lost my Mother, these memories come back to me. I have begun to examine why I decided to move to Pennsylvania over a decade ago. It was because I enjoyed the playing in the snow as a child.
             During 1959 we moved from Queens to Suffolk County. We lived in a nice neighborhood in West Islip, New York. I recall waking up one morning to see the aftermath of an extreme storm. We had received more than twenty inches of snow. As fast as we could, my brother and I dressed in our snowsuits and boots. We ran out back to build a snow fort - I was only four or five years old. I was not allowed to leave the back yard. I was responsible for my brother as well. That was the best time I can remember- it was a weather phenomenon as I have read since.
             As I grew older and our family moved to other locations on Long Island, there was another big snowstorm in 1967. I was older now and able to go sledding on our block in Ronkonkoma. The hills were huge and safe as long as someone watched for cars. We all took turns. That snow was much less impressive because I had grown up. The amount of snow was not over whelming as it was in the earlier storm. We had lots of fun nonetheless.
             I moved off of Long Island in 1980. I became apprehensive after the power plant was built. At that time people were speculating about safe evacuations off the island. My generation was taught safety in school and did air-aid drills regularly- my fears overcame me and I moved to the Bronx for a while.
             After I had my children and they were very young. I searched my heart for the best times I had as a child and remembered the snow! Even at that age I was still waiting in anticipation for the next snow phenomenon. I watched many times as the New York weathermen would say " This storm will affect Pennsylvania with significant amounts of snowfall.