I am from gooey toffee bars at my grandparent’s house, riding rough colorful tractors throughout the seasons, and swinging high on the big green swing at home                                     I am from my light pink and unnaturally soft velvet baby doll that I slept with every night until I was nine  

I am from a rusted blue and red squeaky seesaw that I played on almost every summer night                              

I am from long hot bike rides, adventurous creek walks, and cool library visits                                                        

I am from a pitiful rectangular shaped purple and pink EZbake oven that I treasured when I was little                

I am from a moldy, fossilized hammock that I used for naps in the summer

I am from juicy, light brown homemade chicken nuggets, stinging my nose root beer, and rough brown baked potatoes     I am from screaming “Uhoh Tongo” at the top of my lungs at the sandy beach                                                          

I am from never ending Parkview swim team every morning during the hot summer                                                       

I am from crisp Hilton Head Island, South Carolina                   From the elegant boat house on the bay the sunsets burn with beauty and the water reflects the sky like a mirror                 Hilton Head Island welcomes me when I ride across the arching bridge over the glistening water                               

I am from going to energetic fall festivals, playing in soaking wet piles of leaves, and wearing thick turtle necks                   I am from carving perfect symbolic pumpkins with my mom     I am from raking up colorful smirking leaves with my dad                                                                                                        

I am from playing competitive badminton, stressful basketball, and delightful volleyball                                                       I am from a blissful sandbox that was shaped like a green sea turtle where I built castles when I was little               

I am from Niah engraved in different colors on my homemade glass piggy bank that my grandpa made for me before I was born                                                                                                                                                                  

I am from playing hyper hopscotch, climbing towering trees, and building fierce fires                                                      I am from flying bicycles that I rode on every Saturday zooming down our old, cracked, and stained driveway             I am from tempting popcorn that we make by using our oily white and gold popcorn popper                                        

Memories are the sun, always there but not always seen, shining light on us so we can make better decisions in the future