Take a trip back into the mind of your former self

The former self that was young

The self that stood here in front of this playground

ready to conquer the world in your lightup Sketchers

When your worries didn’t consist of money or fame

but simply who could swing the highest

When it was not just a playground, but a part of life

Imagine sliding down the never ending purple slide

Remember trading your leftover fruit gummies for

your best friend’s stale twinkie by the jungle gym

Feel the adrenaline rush when your hand

almost slips on the monkeybars

Smell the fresh cut grass mixed with the stench of

windblown hair and sweat

Picture the smile you wear when you find an

interesting insect specimen in the sandbox

Hear the chants when you punt a grand slam during kickball

and finally the sighs when the teachers says “line up”

The absence of children steal the “play” from the ground

Leaving the ground bare and lonely

Longing for the children to bring back that breath of life

And now returning back to our current self

I believe we too are longing for that child stigma

And their ability to live in the moment