I came to a realization today: I'm no longer a child. Although I am still young, my childhood is long gone. Seems obvious, doesn't it?
Why am I thinking about this? A good friend of mine who I've known since the beginning of high school is getting married this weekend back in Toronto. Another one of my long-time friends from elementary school got married earlier this year as well. EVERYONE'S getting married. EVERYONE'S having babies. Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating just a bit but you get the point right?As many of my friends experience the next milestones in their lives, I can't help feeling nostalgic about my childhood.
Gone are the summer bike rides that continued even after the sun disappeared.
...the intense soccer games that we looked forward to playing at recess.
...the games of cops and robbers that almost caused us to be eaten by King, the monstrous German Shepherd.
...the tamagotchies that took over my life at one point.
...the never ending movie nights with my brother.
...the times when my cousin and I would hide in her closet so I wouldn't have to go home.
...the insane sugar highs from eating a billion freezies in the span of 10 minutes.
...the feelings of satisfaction from cutting through people's fenced backyards to get home, instead of walking the long route.
...the refreshing runs through the sprinkler that I shared with my brothers under the blazing sun.
...the dedication to shooting those damn ducks on Nintendo.
...the unsuccessful lemonade and fruit punch stands.
Clearly, the nostalgia is getting a little out of hand here.
All of these memories stir up one feeling that I miss the most from my childhood. The feeling of being carefree. Not for just a moment. Not for just a day. Being continuously and utterly carefree all day, every day. As much as I insist that I'll be forever young, I can't deny that those carefree days have been left behind.
Although my life is no longer trouble-free as it was a long long loooooooooong time ago, I must admit that when I do have one of those moments where my worries seem to vanish for a split second, I appreciate them even more. I live for those moments; the ones that allow me to escape reality. Living on my own in Busan for almost a year now has reminded me even more that these moments continue to exist, well into adulthood. I guess being a grown up doesn't have to be all that bad.
