The Kid in Me

Ishmeet Dhillon

I know when I was young,

I was precious, fragile, and lovable,

Hugs, Kisses, Love, and more,

Everyone thought I was adorable.

I remember when I would make a fuss,

When I wanted to sleep one more hour,

But back then I could sleep as long as I wanted,

I didn’t have to hurry to the shower.

I remember when I used to play outside

for hours on end each day.

Getting cuts and bruises on my knees,

while playing pretend games.

I remember the first day of kindergarten,

All the kids looking open-eyed and scared.

The teacher helped us get along,

And made sure our toys were shared.

I remember when I cruised through elementary,

Making new friends every grade,

Playing outside in recess and lunch,

Eating our soggy pizza in the shade.

I remember the day I left elementary behind,

Anxious for a new school,

New people, new friends, new ideas,

Growing up meant new rules.

I remember the day I made my closest friend,

When she introduced herself and helped me.

It was the first day of our new school,

Where everyone was wide-eyed with worry.

I remember eating lunch with friends,

With our backpacks in the middle of the table,

Talking about the latest news and stories,

While chewing on a raisin bagel.

I remember learning, and having fun,

With teachers and my group of friends,

Pranking our 7th grade science teacher,

Then having to make amends.

I remember our 8th grade “potlucks”,

Where we would make and share our creations,

Laughing while playing class games,

And then arguing about the teacher’s regulations.

I remember the day I passed eighth grade,

Feeling so accomplished and proud,

But I knew I had a rollercoaster ahead of me,

Where being irresponsible was not allowed.

From my twists and turns I’ve had a lot to learn,

That growing up means changing quite a bit.

But I know no matter how old I get,

Inside, I’ll always be a kid.