Seeing your parents kiss every day, happy, proud of what their growing babies are capable of

Remember that?

Watching, in admiration, your brothers thwarting evil through the medium of a controller, the smell of Old Spice and turtle tank while sitting on that rough carpet

Remember that?

Following your sisters as they’d parade about, weaving stories and adventures with every step, allowing you to accompany them on their quests

Remember that?

Gleefully prancing about with nieces and nephews and cousins, having no worries as to whether you fit in with them

Remember that?

When you’d watch that one particular movie, maybe even once a week, because you thought it was one of the best things ever thought up and you just had to see it again

Remember that?

The smell of cookies and melting chocolate, joyfully taking bite after bite before swallowing, washing it down with a cool swig of milk, thinking, this is it, this is bliss

Remember that?

Wandering the woods with your best friend, believing that you really were mages, or shapeshifters, or just two badass eight-year-olds vs. the world, discussing whatever popped into your head with no pauses or second-guessing

Remember that?

Having it slip away through your fingers, as age came upon you, upon everyone; as people moved out, went away, got married, took to harmful habits, and the fears took new forms, anxiety took root, paranoia sprouted up, stress flooded your head, depression clouded everything

You must remember that much