A Winter Commute Like No Other — Issue 25

Each winter morning, while many commuters keep a cautious eye on road reports and weather advisories, Alan Dick sees something entirely different: opportunity.

 

For this long-serving teacher, deep snow is not an obstacle—it is an invitation. Strapping on snowshoes and harnessing a pulk laden with books and teaching materials, he makes his way to school not by road, but through the quiet woods. While traffic may creep along icy highways, his route is smooth and steady beneath snow-laden branches.

 

There is something magical about travelling through the forest in the early morning or in the twilight at the end of a long day. The world is hushed. Fresh snow sparkles. Animal tracks cross the trail. What might seem daunting to others becomes, in his words, “a great way to start the day.” The journey itself sets the tone—calm, focused, and invigorating—before the first class begins.

 

Even on snow days, when road travel proves difficult, the wooded path remains reliable. Through drifting snow by Long Pond and beneath the evergreens, he makes his way to King’s-Edgehill School, ready to teach and connect with boarding students who call the campus home.

 

For Mr. Dick, winter does not slow the school year—it enriches it. His daily trek is a reminder that with the right perspective, challenges become adventures, and the journey can be just as meaningful as the destination.