Meaningful Memories

The flashlights that quickly turned off as you heard the steps coming toward the bedroom door. The giggles as Mom said in that loving, serious, but yet silly tone “go to sleep!” and how you never did. Those mornings waking up with limbs hanging out of sleeping bags and blankets, with little persons’ strewn about the room. The bags of candy, bottles of pop, popcorn kernels, and other articles of junk food scattered about the room.

Today, I miss the times of listening to music on my new boom box, having half the neighborhood over for a sleep over, and doing those crazy third grade science projects in the late afternoons. I miss those chilly nights camping in the backyard. I miss the sun setting, talking with my childhood friends about where we might be when we get to that big mysterious place called college, how we would always be friends know matter what happened.

Those moments of tasteful delights, friendships that seemed endless, and times that will always be remembered, have touched my heart today. All I can comprehend is how simple life was 11 years ago, and how complicated it’s becoming today. Those hot Nebraska afternoons spent throwing water balloons, and playing slip n’ slide in the neighbors backyard have turned into papers, a bustling city, lesson plans, and being responsible for 20 sum children's' homework.

But for now, in this moment, I take back my memories and let them play like a movie, feeling every detail of cool water splashing, drippy ice cream cones, and silly talks of what was to come. Just as my retreat into mind has begun, an ambulance outside my window rushes by to remind me that my reality is now so different, but I’m thankful for the show.

It’s important to remember the good times, it’s important to hang on to those details of utter bliss, because we’ve all had a few. For me, those memories have brought a new energy to my soul, a smile firmly planted on my face enlightens my day, all from those simple moments of a Nebraska summer that was so long ago, but yet still so sweet.