childhood.

when i turned on my tv this afternoon, i was pleasantly surprised to find out that Little House on the Prairie was on. as i began to watch the show, i was immediately overcome with a flood of fond memories of my childhood. i can remember sitting on my mothers lap when i younger, and she would read all of the little house books out loud to me. i remember just listing in awe, dreaming of the adventures that i would have if i lived in the prairie. fantasizing about all the exciting things that could happen if i could live like laura did.

as i reminisced about my days dreaming about living on the prairie, i began to remember other memories from my distant childhood. it feels like it was so far away. so long gone. childhood easily gets lost in the business of teenage life. it gets drowned by the homework. forgotten because of the many practices and activities. childhood is like a distant memory floating in the wind. our childhoods have been overpowered by our strange desire to grow up quickly. our natural desire to be independent. to be self sufficient. to be strong, old, and responsible. we desire freedom and power. we rushed our childhoods, whether we know it or not. 

the blurry line between childhood and adulthood is like the area between the sunset and horizon; not sure where one begins and the other ends. i am only sixteen years, maybe only one fifth of the way done with my life. i should still be a child right? i should still be able to live without fears, worries, or cares. i should be able to smile and laugh like there is no wrong in the world. after all, that is what childhood represents. it is the purest form of innocence. something that has not been polluted with the evils of this world. sadly, i believe that childhood has ended in a way. although i may still be youthful and young, that is different between pure, unadulterated innocence. i am closer to adulthood than i am to childhood. childhood now stands only as a pleasant memory; somethings to smile, dream, and laugh about. it is something to look back on and remember moments of innocence and joy. it is something that can never be regained. it can never be relived. it is something that we must cherish. it is something that we must remember.