I knew you when you were growing and finding yourself

I knew you when you were learning and failing and succeeding 

Your favorite sayings and favorite quotes are on a special shelf 

My favorite things were your favorite things and your favorite things were my favorite things  

Now I don’t even think about you  

You used to know all the important things, like which color you liked best 

And which teacher drove you crazy, why does it now just feel like a test?

We used to make plays and skits and movies, write books, beg my parents for sleepovers, 

And make plans to conquer the world, learning what it means to be kind

Now i don’t even know myself

We used to talk for hours on the phone, creating games we could play over the landline

You would make a sound and our friends would have to guess it. Remember that? 

Now when either calls, the other doesn't answer

What happens to best friends forever and ever? What happened to us?

I guess we just grew up

I just wish for one day we could go back

I just wish for one day we could have what we lack

Back to more than someone to smile at when they walk by

Back to before we thought to lie

Can we turn back time just for tonight to matching jammies and matching DOLL jammies 

To make promises to staying up all night (But we’d be in bed by eleven, twelve if we were feeling crazy) 

To super secret club with its own creed and badges 

To chalk obstacle courses and couch tents, four thousand cookie batches   

To quoting the princess bride and play pretend superheroes with our brother  

Now I worry about scholarships and quote college mission statements, my imagination suffers

I worry about our grade and service projects and play pretend I can handle it all  

Our Childhood of days gone by whispers to me 

I think of what we will say in ten years

Will I be proud of who I am, for I grew through the tears

Will we laugh at our old jokes and reminisce for the memories we make now?

The memories that build a tower, one that I allow, 

a tower of strength built on a foundation of courage or cowardice?

I look forward to the memories I will create and the mistakes I will make

I look forward to the inspiring people I will meet, inspiring just for the fact that they ARE 

They smile, they love, they live

Just as I hope to love and hope and give

Each laugh and hug and loss and gain will be cherished as a gift

So childhood, I will miss you, but to my present self, I cherish you