The journey of growth begins from childhood. Just like you wouldn't skip the first chapter of a book you're about to read, childhood in the same manner is a stage every one must pass through to grow into adults. Undoubtedly, every stage in life comes with its joys, it challenges, its drama and at one point in time, its memories. There'll be a time for us to sit back and reminisce a time in our lives when everything seemed to be so simple and there wasn't so much to care about.
Looking at this picture stirs up nostalgic feelings within me, because it is the same neighborhood I grew up in and I could imagine myself as one of those little kids playing and shouting on top of their voices to their playmates. Life was nothing short of fun then, all I ever cared about was getting back home from school and playing out all my strength till the last drop.
I came from a family where I had a lot of much older siblings who were expected to take on more responsibility around the home. To that effect, let's just say I hardly ever do anything at home. My dad used make sure I never touch anything as a child and sometimes it's just funny when I think back because my dad will also make sure I do all my chores now I'm all grown with the same energy he used back then .
I was living like a Queen. All I needed to do was to wake my pretty self up every morning to someone else preparing my breakfast, another one taking me for a bath, yet another fixing my dirty laundry and also having to feed me my own food because never shall a Queen feed herself. In my little head, that was luxury. That was the highest extent of living large. To me, there was never going to be an end to those special treatments until growth happened and all I can do now is think about it.
I had a lot of kids in my neighborhood back then and we did the most during our playtime. The most common of them all was playing 'pretend'. We assumed characters for ourselves and acted according. I could remember having to be the 'chef' each time. I was given that role because of my height. I was quite the tall one amongst the kids, so they thought it was the right thing for me to assume a 'motherly role' .
I would always have to take out cooking ingredients from my mom's kitchen for my spectacular display of culinary skills. I was really giving it my all, the energy I used in preparing those beautiful nonsense was unmatched . Of course, we never end up eating any of those supposed delicious meals, I was never tired of waking up the next day to think of something else to cook for the kids .I was caught taking out things a few times but it wasn't a big deal, my mom understood.
What is being a kid without having to do some crazy things?
You would agree with me kids stop at nothing when it comes to being very dramatic, I wasn't an exception. I also did some things that are quite laughable when I remember them. I was such a cry-baby back then. Crying was the way forward to my every obstacle. When my mom started making me do chores, especially washing the dishes, I felt like my world was finally going to be over.
I mean, why would she want to wreck my throne like that?
Whenever I hear" go and wash the dishes" I'll just start crying. It gets worse when I come out and see a mountain of dirty plates in the kitchen. I'll cry all through the washing period and each time someone comes in and drops in any used plate for me to re-wash, the tantrum level rises to one million.
I know times when I used to hide some of the dirty dishes to reduce my work load, only for my mom to call me back and make me wash them under high security and surveillance. The highest of my trauma was having to wash the dishes a second time , because mom thinks they aren't clean enough. That is the point I'll sit on the floor and cry my eyes out.
When people talk about how innocent kids are, I understand it better now especially when it comes to relationships. I wasn't such a trouble maker as a child but I know times when I had fights with my friends and we always vow never to speak to each to ourselves any more. That promise is always broken because the next minute, you get to see us together again playing and having fun like nothing happened. The truth is we just want to have fun and that's it. There is no time for holding grudges or dwelling on negative emotions as it would be common for adults. It is something I most admire about being a child. The ability to let things go easily.
The memories I have of my childhood are quite numerous to recount. Most times, my mom will always tell me about certain things I did as a child. Some of which, I'll outrightly agree to, and others, I will disagree to ever doing. These reflections simply brings me so much joy and even though things will never be as it used to be, I'll always cherish those moments of laughter, drama and endless fun.
This is in response to the monthly prompts by Inleo
Click here to read about the March Prompts