a lifetime every day

restless, i sat,

waiting for the clock to strike 5.

only then, was i allowed to dash out of my home,

down a flight of stairs, across the field, stairs, past the pool, stairs, around the bend

following the familiar chorus of shouting and laughter

i could navigate the way with my eyes closed.

-

kicking open the rickety wooden gate

scaling the plastic orange slide

at ten, it seemed as tall as a skyscraper

as i shimmied into the opening at the very top

and hopped up to sit on it

staring down at the world beneath me.

-

i was on top of the world.

-

we were on top of the world.

-

we’d live our wildest fantasies

playing kings and queens

rockstars and olympians

laughing till our heads spun

as we tripped over our feet

and landed in the bed of gold under our toes.

-

we’d build castles and fortresses

decorate our creations with fallen leaves and flower petals

only to kick them up

when the last of our comrades vaulted over the fence

and the excitement began.

-

we’d lock eyes with “it”

our legs deciding whether to surrender or flee

the first step

it felt like we were soaring

emotions running high on adrenaline, on endorphins,

on life.

-

we’d seen each other laugh and cry

we didn’t know how much we were growing up before our own eyes.

we lived in the moment

enjoying each other’s company

burning with the wildness and innocence that only childhood could bring.

-

it was at this moment

that we were alive

that we were infinite.