The Beauty and Simplicity of the Neighborhood Walk – SOLSC Day #17

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This morning, I awoke to the ground covered in snow and the temperatures back to the normal winter cold.  Even as I watch the light snow fall from the sky, I am hopeful that spring is almost here.  For the last week, we’ve watched the warmer temperatures melt away ALL of the snow, and with that, we’ve watched our neighborhood come back to life.  The kids are back out playing basketball, soccer, and riding their bikes, and dozens of walkers and runners pass the house in the early evening hours.  And for me, the neighborhood walks have started back up (ended when the cold weather settled in).

Title: Westvale Walks

The snowflakes flutter through the air,

but they never make it to the ground.

Fiona places her small hand in mine,

as we make our way through the neighborhood. 

“Nyasia is two heads taller than me.”

“Clara wants twenty kids.”

“My kid’s names are going to be 

Elliot, Emerson, Evelyn, and Ethan.”

We never walk in silence,

my stride to her two strides.

I need to warm my hands in my pockets,

Fiona holds onto my arm.

“I’ll still hold your hand when I’m

in sixth grade.”

“When I grow up,

I’m going to live on this street.”

I wish it would slow down,

and she’d walk with me another ten years.

But I won’t waste a minute of this time,

to learn everything I can about my baby.

Last Saturday was the first walk of the upcoming season (this poem was inspired by yesterday’s walk).  My nine-year-old daughter, Fiona and I spend our spring weekends and summer days going for walks in our quiet neighborhood.  I’ve walked the same route with all the three other kids, but they have outgrown the walk, but I’m hopeful that they will join me again when their “too cool for school” teenage years pass.  For now, I will enjoy every minute/second of time with my nine-year-old baby.



Published by astarowicz

I have been teaching sixth grade for seventeen years. When I'm not teaching, I'm being a busy dad with my four children. My passions are reading, writing, and running.

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11 thoughts on “The Beauty and Simplicity of the Neighborhood Walk – SOLSC Day #17”

  1. Enjoy every single minute of those walks. I love how you captured the innocence of childhood talk. I miss that because my conversations are now mostly one word phrases…and that is after about 10 questions from me! I’m glad you took me on your walk today!

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  2. not going to lie, this brought a tear to my eye! such special moments spent with your daughter that remind me of the times my dad and I would do this (only as I got older it became runs, not walks). when I see my dad now I still hold on to his arms, call him daddy, and remember fond memories of my childhood with him. It is so great to see that going on in other families. thank you for sharing such a sweet moment.

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  4. Love Fiona’s comments, the ones that show how fully herself she is with you, especially, “I’ll still hold your hand when I’m in sixth grade.” It reminds me of my son at that age saying that he wanted us to move with him when he went to college; he couldn’t imagine wanting to be apart. 💕

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  6. This is so sweet. Your description of your daughter holding your hand/arm and her dialogue made me teary! I’m so glad you’re appreciating and recording those small but important moments! My daughter is celebrating her 26th birthday today. It sure goes by fast!

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  10. The poem is beautiful. I especially like the image of snowflakes fluttering but “never making it to the ground.” -Poignant. I walk a lot with my youngest son, and we talk about his interests, what’s going on in his daily life; it is a GIFT. He is twenty-one. Keep on savoring. 🙂

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