Remember where you came from

           Being little was simple; not having to worry about being late, having easy homework and having no care in the world about how dirty you are and how major your tan is. I see being little as being able to discover anything and every trip being an adventure. When you’re young you have the energy to play, play and play some more. Each day brought something different; riding horses, playing in the ditches, playing tag, or doing anything one could think about.

            As I go out to my grandma’s house every weekend, I think about my childhood. I think about riding horses with my grandma, playing in the chaha’oh (shade house) with my cousin Amanda, and having those huge water fights during the hot summer days. Amanda and I played on the clothes line, swinging back and forth and doing flips like we were gymnasts. As I think about it now, I can imagine how ridiculous we look, pretended to cook sand and serving imaginary people at the table. But isn’t that what childhood is all about?

             

            I am the youngest out of my two sisters; we of course fought like siblings do. I followed them around when they did not want me around and they wouldn’t play with me when I asked. I was the little sister they did not want to be seen with or play with. When they said no to play, I escaped. I escaped to the ditches to pretend and imagine, I rode my bike far and didn’t go home for hours. I don’t blame them; I talked and laughed too much. But on those days I escaped, I went with my cousin, but also my best friend Amanda. We laughed and cried together, she was my little sister that I always wanted.

            As I drive through my grandma’s land I can imagine being little and playing with Amanda every single day. I go back to the places we played but I notice everything is different. Everything we once played with is getting old and being torn down by the wind, rain and snow. Our playground is slowly fading away, and I have become afraid of going into our chaha’oh where we once played house.

            Every weekend I go to my grandma’s, but each time I feel sadness in my heart that we will never play like we did. I see Amanda every single day at school; she still has the same personality, and being the funniest person I have ever met. We have grown taller, become smarter and grew apart. But deep down I know we will always remember those hot summer days we played and laughed together. So thank you Amanda, thank you for making my childhood the greatest. 

           
            I love to think about my childhood, it has created who I am today. So with this I say, remember where you came from, it is what molded you into who are today. Your childhood either good or bad has taught you lessons, it may not be hard lessons but it was the beginning of your life.