Someone well said, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder”. Oh, the mesmerising moments of our lives which we didn’t cherish then have now become memories sweet.

Bit by bit, time flew away like birds and we have grown into teenagers — the teenagers who are treated like kids and are expected to act like adults. I miss those days very fondly when we used to sleep in the laps of tension free days, when we were unaware of the meaning of hatred, money, fame, show off and all those negative things which have made our lives worst now.

I miss those pure days when friendship and love were purely based upon sweetness, helpfulness, care and affection. When I entered this new phase of my life, I realised that now friendships are going to be based upon status, fame and money.

I still can’t forget those naughty days when I used to ask mum for extra money and she would strictly refuse, saying that I had already spent that day’s pocket money. But I, being a stubborn mule, would just sneak into dad’s room when the house would be lost in silence at afternoon. Helping myself to a note of 10 or 20 rupees, I would rush out of the room as quick as a bunny.

Time never waits for anyone. It keeps on flowing like water. The ticking hands of the clock take me back to where my mind exhibits the mischievousness that my eyes held in childhood. I just can’t forget those greedy moments when we friends used to flatter each other just to get to eat what the other was having. I can’t stop chuckling when my memory is surrounded by those mischievous activities that I used to do.

Let me tell you what I was actually known as at my home. I was known as a babysitter by my family, because whenever I heard of a new family shifting to our colony, I was ready to welcome their little kids warmly and open heartedly. I went to their house every day to play with them, , took them to the market, the park and what not. I am unable to decide still whether it was my fondness for the little babies or a greed for being praised and known by others, that made me do those things.

Truly quoted by someone that kids just grow quickly like weeds between the flowers. There was a time when I used to wish grow quickly into an adult, but now it is the opposite. I crave to become a kid again, for those blissful moments spent in my childhood.

All good things must come to an end, so did my childhood. As childhood is a time of growth and learning, so each year I used to come up with a new habit, either negative or positive. Sometimes I discovered myself being as bitter as a cucumber, the other moment I became sweet like honey. Sometime I was cunning like a fox, at another time I was called the most honest person.

It feels like childhood just changed into teenage in just a twinkling of the eye, but that golden time period of my life is still fresh as daisy in my heart and soul. Like it was just yesterday when we spent our days stealing the fruits from the gardens of neighbours and fighting with friends.

The silliest thing which makes me still laugh fanatically is that whenever we friends had a fight, we used to write two to three page letters to each other, the summary of which was simply this ‘’We are no longer friends’’ and sent it to each other for signatures. How silly!

I miss those delightful moments when we used to run after each other to become friends again after a messy fight. I still remember those days when we used to make castles and colonies out of sandy mud under the scorching sun of June and July. I miss those carefree days....

Published in Dawn, Young World, April 24th, 2021