From Montessori to Adolescence

When I was young
Mom was my hero and Dad protected me no matter what
Years of me belonged to them
Times I will never recall,
Nursing by nightlight, singing at midnight,
Watching me laugh and crawl.

There were only three ways to be: happy, sad, or angry
Sitting with Dad to watch the rain
Splash down upon the window pane,
Catching expressions that cross my face
Even now in these mindful days.

There was no such thing as popularity
Wearing a skirt did not get you obnoxious stares
You could play and share your lunch with anyone
Crushes were scraped knees and got fixed with a band-aid and a kiss
The worst thing a boy could do to you was snatch your chocolate

It was OK to make mistakes, fall and get up again.
A broken heart was only a doodle
Differences made no difference
The biggest thing going on was losing teeth

Then all it seemed like I wanted to do is grow up
Parents were my captors
I started to change and became not as innocent
All of the sudden nobody knows what to think or who to be
Childhood drifts away, flitting just out of reach
Until it’s so far behind me that I forget what I was like

Everyone wants to grow up or become a kid again; never both
Out of nowhere there are cliques and groups, like sorting mail.
Some try to be different and stand out,
While others strive to blend and mix in.
Yet…what’s left is usually miserable.

And inadvertently we end up asking….why did we grow up?