Childhood is…

Childhood is Cheeto dust on your fingertips. Bubbles in the bathtub. Catching fireflies at dusk. Making mud pies in the yard. Chocolate stains on your shirt. Playing chicken at the pool. Giving squeezy hugs. Walking barefoot on sun-baked cement.

Childhood is snuggling up for a night-night story. Building block towers just to knock them down. Rolling down hills. Reading under the covers late at night. Putting playing cards in the spokes of your bike. Feeling the crisp breeze on your face as you stick your head out the car window.

Childhood is jumping in leaf piles. Playing lava in the living room. Getting piggy back rides from your dad. Standing on a chair making dinner with your mom. Going to sleep with damp hair from bath time. Sliding down the stairs as fast as you can. Making up your own favorite songs.

Childhood is calling your brother your best friend. Finding frogs in the creek. Searching for proof of leprechauns. Playing in the sand box. Looking forward to summer vacation. Wiggling your toes in the grass. Making sound effects for your toy cars. Kisses that fix every boo boo.

Childhood is peanut butter and jelly. Giggles. Tag. Stories. Animal crackers. Somersaults. Climbing trees. Lemonade. Road trips. Jumping jacks. Secrets. Dreams. Hope.

Childhood is fleeting. It is already long gone before you learn to appreciate it. Just a handful of memories that bring bittersweet smiles to your face. A scrapbook of experiences locked away in your heart.

And then, before you know it, you get to live it all over again. Different this time, but more meaningful. Because now you know how fast it’s going to go by. How special it is. And this time, it’s not your own childhood you’re experiencing. It’s your son’s. It’s your daughter’s. And you’re going to savor it.

 

-Post in response to the daily prompt Childhood

 

 

Photo by Scott Webb – Unslplash