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I watched them at recess one day from  behind the glass windows that ran the length of the classroom.  …..

Several boys worked together to build a snowman. They built it so quickly! Recess was only half over when they finished.

…..

Once finished they grew disinterested.  They didn’t know what to do but, once a couple of the boys started throwing snowballs at the girls, they all joined in.

…..

The girls screamed and ran away delighted at the sudden attention being paid to them.

…..

A few snowballs found their targets, exploding in the middle of their backs.

…..

One girl tripped and fell, her face imbedded in the snow.  I heard peals of laughter vibrate through the double pane glass.

…..

Snow covered the girl’s face.  Then a moist black hole appeared where she spit the snow away while at the same time, two black dots at the top of her face … her eyes … appeared.

…..

The boys pointed at her laughing.  The girls stood off to the side, mittens in their mouths to hide their smiles .. maybe control their laughter.

…..

One boy fell down rolling around in the snow laughing.

…..

It looked like a live snowgirl had been created with living black coal for her eyes and mouth.

…..

With what little time that was left before the bell rang, I watched four boys attack and destroy the snowman they had built earlier.

…..

How interesting,  I thought.  It seemed that in fifteen minutes, I had witnessed a model for tens of thousands years of warfare; construction, destruction, the death of innocents and even the symbolism of rape.

…..

I thought to myself, “Maybe warfare is a part of who we are.  When will it ever end?”

I shook my head from side to side.

……

Then I decided another great secret had been revealed.  I realized that perhaps by the end of the school year, I would learn more about life from my students than they would from me.

Or at least it would be an equal exchange.

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