Childhood recollections quietly call.
There was never a dull day.
The days were full of arts and crafts, tea parties, Barbie dolls, GI Joes, while
the nights were complete with baths, bedtime stories, and most of all, sleep.
She was always dressed precious with her
striped pants, floral shirts, light-up shoes, and clips and bows in the hair.

School was easy.
Grades were not important.
Learning to color inside the lines, learning to count to one-hundred, learning the ABC’s,
while the teacher read different series of books like
Clifford the Big Red Dog, Henry and Mudge, Eric Carle or Judy Blume.
Her smile was joyful but not complete,
because of those two front teeth missing.

Family fun was favored.
Dinner together every night
around the oak wood table in the kitchen.
Always having fun while
talking about the day, what happened at school and work, what tomorrow might bring,
laughing, loving, and learning to live life.

Childhood recollections are quietly calling.
School was easy.
Family fun was favored.
Then, high school hit.
Homework every night, tests every week, projects once a month...

Life is hard.
No more coloring.
No more every night dinners.
No more cute appearances.
No more, no more, no more…