We may think of life as confusing and wretched at times. But I still remember the time we used to run around the play ground, making every patch of grass or mud or gravel our tiny little world of adventure. We saw each other fall and graze the back of our arms; we even pushed and shoved those we thought were bullies. We kneeled outside our classrooms for passing notes under the tables - the teachers drilled us with their disciplinary ways - we shed a tear or two.
Somehow, those years seem very far behind - when our bags hung heavy on our backs and the smell of sharpened pencil never seemed to leave our skin. The fear of exams and the heartache of having to prepare for them; the brilliance of making a new friend and the sorrow of having to watch one go.
We are all grown up now. Some working, some about to get married and others with two to three babies to raise. Many get together at high school reunions; others keep to their busy lives and try not to think of how easy life used to be. Many are curious as to what has become of the kids who used to sit behind them in class; others feel they have arrived in life as opposed to what might have happened to the back-benchers.
Somewhere along the line, we leave behind the child within us. We walk to becoming ‘aspiring’ adults with great levels of maturity and diligence. We regard high school students as juvenile little ones who still have years to figure life out. Surely, dreams of sitting in front of a test paper with blank expressions and the dread of handing over an empty sheet are not welcome. We are adults and it is strange for childlike fears to surface at that point in life when we believe we have absolute control of our feelings and measures.
Somewhere along the line we forget to have fun. Gone are the days when ice-cream vans were of amusement to us during break hours; we are now too old to be running behind those. We now have responsibilities that may or may not give us the time to muse over our school days -
The days that made us what we are today.
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