The park looked deserted, save for a couple of kids playing on the jungle gym. I made my way to the swing and sat on its faded red plastic seat, gingerly. Holding the thick rusty chains of the swing, I gave myself a slight push and the swing began swaying, back and fro. And, just like that, the moment whisked me back to many years ago, when the park was my favourite place in the whole world.
I remembered those mornings, from eons ago, when I would slip out of the house in my school uniform and head for the park. When I would stand on the swing and sway as high as I could, to feel the wind in my hair, and that glorious exhilaration of almost flying like a bird. When mother would come looking for me at the park and then berate me for being such an irresponsible little girl. When I would leave the swing dejectedly to go home and head for school. When school was really not my favourite place in the whole world.
I looked around me and took in the changes the park had undergone in all these years. There were a lot more trees around, and the park seemed to be well taken care of. But, the warmth and the love the place exuded was still the same. Untouched by time. The realisation warmed me and I felt like a little girl, all over again.
I pushed myself a bit more now and the swing began swaying higher. I stretched my legs in front of me, and holding the chains tighter now leaned back and turned my face skywards. A little patch of the light blue sky peeped through the canopy of lush green trees. And, in that little blue patch I saw a swarm of dragonflies hovering above me, as if wondering who this new visitor might be!
I felt caught in a moment I did not want to end. A moment from the past when life was all about playing in the park even after the sun had long set; about friends who made promises of being together forever; about studies that were most hated and yet not a burden, but mostly about laughter, happiness, joy – unbridled joy.
I stayed on the swing long after it had stopped swaying. The sun had touched the horizon and was biding adieu for the day. The weather had turned muggy and the dainty dragonflies had now been replaced by the humming mosquitoes. I looked around me at the now deserted park and felt myself unable to move. Was I really unable to move, or was it that I just did not want to move?
Why, oh why, did I have to leave this place, this moment, and go back to the adult world where I did not have any such place that was my most favourite place in the whole world? Yes, I did have my home – my cocoon – but then, why did I feel so safe here, in the deserted park, with not a soul around?
Maybe it was the memories the park held, the sound of laughter that still echoed there even after all these years, the carefree atmosphere it held within its bosom – that was what seemed to keep me rooted to the spot. That was what I most yearned for in my present life – the warmth, the coziness, the pure innocence of childhood. All of it that had gotten lost along with time. All of it that, despite being in the present, was not really the same.
No wonder then that it’s called the most precious period of life – Childhood. Once it’s gone, it’s gone, never to return. However much ‘young at heart’ one stays, it is not what it used to be!
Do you miss your childhood? Where do you look for it? Do share with me, I would love to know!
Hugs!
Love,
SHILPA.
Linking this post to The WriteTribe ProBlogger October 2017 Blogging Challenge.
#writebravely #writetribeproblogger
This is so exquisitely written, Shilpa.
Your words transported me to the park, and your childhood.
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Thank you, Mayuri! ❤
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Shilpa, a post full of innocent childhood memories! You have asked a pertinent question and the answer to which differs from person to person. I loved my childhood and enjoyed the times spent playing in a carefree and happy manner, unconcerned with the stress and tension of the grown ups 🙂 I relived it all with my kids and my special baby, Sparky. Now I have the memories in my heart that keep me happy whenever I go down the memory lane. Wish you a Happy Diwali and a prosperous New Year.
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Those were the days, Sulekha!
Although we can never go back to that time, we all can hold on to those memories, keep them close to our heart and feel their warmth and their love! 🙂
WIsh you too a very happy Diwali and a prosperous New Year! ❤
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Beautiful and so heartfelt
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Thank you! 🙂
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Who doesn’t love going on the swing? Such an intrinsic memory of childhood.
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Thank you, Nupur! 🙂
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Childhood nostalgia is wonderful. I loved the way you have transported us all back in time with your words. All of us have some such memories from childhood that makes we hold on to all our lives.
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Those memories are such, Vinodini…golden memories that keep us warm during some cold, bitter moments in life.
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This is so beautiful Shilpa! It reminded me of my childhood too! Yes, we cannot go back and often I wish I could go back and never grow up! Oh how I miss childhood!
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How we all miss our childhood the most, isn’t it, Reema? 🙂
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OH MY GOODNESS! I can’t believe it. I was in the park with my grandkids last week, sitting on a swing with almost the exact same thoughts as you — only a few decades more, I’m afraid
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That’s such a wonderful coincidence, Carol! I think, as we age, the thoughts of our carefree childhood are the ones that keep going on in our mind. 🙂
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Wonder why childhood joys, are so shortlived. Where is that time machine now? Want to go back and relive those glorious moments
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Yes, Ramya…I was just thinking about the same thing – The Time Machine! Where is it??
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This post is a tribute to the priceless days of abandon, letting loose, be free and never shy to explore. Beautiful writing.
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Vishal, how I wish we could relive those days!
Thank you! 🙂
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I swear 🙂
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I go back t the old pictures whenever I miss those golden days. I wish I could re-live my childhood again 😦
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It’s everybody’s wish, Anchal, to go back to one’s childhood and live that period all over again! 🙂
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We didn’t have park in my childhood near our home. But i remember going to my friend’s home and playing a lot of games. I never miss it but i love to meey my childhood friends sometimes.
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Yeah, Ramya, those friends from our childhood have a special place in our heart, too!
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Hard to answer that. I miss some parts of my childhood but not all. I miss those friends, the innocent conversations, the life free of stress but some part is also painful and long gone. I want to keep the good memories alive.
What a gorgeous post, Shilpa!
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Great post! Looks like I use the word gorgeous so much that autocorrect spelled it as soon as a wrote the letter ‘g’ 😀
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Hehehe! Happens all the time, Parul! I am glad you liked it!
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Unbridled joy – when did I last feel that, I cant honestly remember. I could feel the ache of your desire to be not an adult anymore but be transported back into time to a time when responsibilities were frivolous and you were carefree! Lovely post about yearning for your childhood Shilps! 🙂
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Thanks Shalz! It’s an ardent desire that’s never going to be fulfilled, ever! Sigh. But, that’s life, no? All we have to do is grow up! 😛
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Brilliant! Yes, childhood, indeed is the best time of our lives. And we all look for it, albeit futilely, in different places. For me, it is in the books, the act of reading. Loved the way you have so beautifully expressed this piece.
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Thank you so much, Rashmi! Words such as these make me feel contented, especially when they come from one of my fav writers, like YOU! 🙂
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Childhood is lovely and memories of childhood are precious treasure. I had a favourite corner in the balcony with a huge planter that had a jasmine creeper. I spent many hours playing there….Enjoyed you post and thanks for a trip down the memory lane…
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I enjoyed reading about your favourite spot during your childhood, too, Nupur! Thank you for sharing with me! 🙂
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nostalgic post, Shilpa…. I am speechless and cannot say more
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Aww, thank you so much, Nidhi! 🙂
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Childhood joys are such! I think we didn’t give much care to what others think resulting in unstoppable joy. But now for every little thing we think twice preventing us from enjoying to the fullest. Your words took me to a happy place, Shilpa. You write with such clarity, I’m loving every bit of it. ❤
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Something similar happened with us in a park by the beach in the US…we were taken back to the days we enjoyed the swings. Alas, those were so enjoyable days…it just feels a bit different now even at the place we frequented then.
Happy to know you still felt the same ☺️
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Alok, it’s little things such as these that bring back those golden memories, making us realise how time has flown by, how we took it all for granted back then and how we sorely miss it all today when we can’t turn around and go back to that time.
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Very true!
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I enjoyed reading about your favourite patch during your puerility, too, Nupur! Words such(a) as these constitute me feel contented, especially when they come in from one of my fav writers, like YOU!
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Missing those childhood days when I turned from Ms to Mrs
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We all do. Marriage changes the person we were to someone we might not really like being. But, that’s life, isn’t it? But, we can always visit those memories, or those places from our childhood/youth that brought us boundless joy and enjoy a few moments of respite.
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