Where am I? I’m in a place I used to know so well. Where I spent many days of my childhood. I haven’t visited my swing set in many years. As I swing back and forth, I feel the rush of cold air brushing against my skin, reminding me of the oncoming winter frost. A feeling of nostalgia comes over me as I remember spending hours letting the wind fly through my hair. I remember feeling my bouncy curls flutter with innocence, now they bounce with the hope of returning to that once vibrant energetic girl who did not worry about a thing. It is amazing how time flies. I remember my swing set being brand new; now in just a blink of an eye it grew up just as I did. The fresh bright blue flags that used to be, have withered away from many storms that showed no mercy to an innocent swing set. The wood on the stairs that I used to wince from as it gave me splinters, I now turn away from, because of the aging mold. The swings I used to love now creak at every flight I take. It’s crazy how as I grow and age so do the memories of my childhood. Soon there will be nothing here, but grass to remember my childhood days.

As I look back on the memories I have had in this spot, I cannot imagine how the future will turn out. Will I wither away like I am starting to or will I be able to find myself and return to loving life. The thrill I used to get from jumping off the swings no longer seems so big. As I get older the little things that used to bring the greatest joy now I think of as childish and sweet, but can’t make me happy. I want to feel the joy of the birds that fly above me, dancing through the air as the sun starts to set. I want to feel free like trees just flowing with the wind. The trees even posses personalities as they change from soft green to fiery red. The changing trees are a reminder of my future because every October I turn a year older. Stepping on the falling leaves which crunch under my foot reminds me that whenever I hear this sound I know I’m closer to my end. This scares me; I wish time would just stop and let us stay in one place. I am not ready to end my only childhood, to move on to the scary world in front of me. The only time I want to go forward is on my swing because at least then I know I will go back afterwards.

Almost as if on cue, the clouds above me begin to cover up the sun. Just like my future is to my childhood. I feel the goose bumps on my arm rise up from my skin in fear and because of the cold. As the sun disappears, I feel the chill in the air increasing. A droplet of rain falls in slow motion landing on my arm creating warmth from the cold. The rain droplets feel like teardrops dropping from my eyes, both bringing me sadness and happiness. The dark sky is my future, which hopefully brings happiness, rather then sadness.