I remember when things were easy, when we were naïve. I remember those days, those days when the scorching air crept, which meant, the coming of summer. When mommy and I broke out the summer clothes and I would run up to daddy saying “Can we open the pool? Daddy it’s hot out!” When the blistering fire crackled, echoing through the trees. The smell of roasting marsh mellows filled the surrounding air with crisp, brown delight. Whispering spooky ghost stories, and screaming like little babies, the ‘tough’ guys always blowing them off as if nothing, yet ask for the flashlight. I remember throwing on a muddy old tee and a pair of junk shorts when we played manhunt, even when the cute neighbor played. I didn’t care what he thought, looking good didn’t matter, I just wanted to have fun. I remember those days when I would slip on my favorite puffy pink dress, imagining that I was Cinderella. When I would click my heels three times, wishing to be older, wishing for the future. I remember when all I would play with was Barbie, my plastic little best friend. Little shoes scattered throughout my room, finding a new one every so often, was like a newly shined pearl and it was my quest to find them. I remember when boy bands posters clung to the color of my walls, stealing my last glimpse before a good night. When making my looks better in someone else’s eyes, was a forbidden sin, for only my thoughts really mattered. The thought of boys, still made me scream, “Ewww coootiieess!” And dating was just another movie filled theme. I remember when staying up my bedtime was a distant thought and all the luxuries I have now weren’t even thought of. When useless drama didn’t affect me and what I set out for in life was the big dreams. I remember when things were easy, when we were naïve. And now looking back on all of that, when it seemed like it was just so easy to live, makes me want to shake the magic eight ball, asking if I will ever get a chance, to feel as happy as I did then. I remember when things were easy, when we were naïve.