“When you look in the past, you get depressed. When you look in the future, you get anxious.” I always remember my mom saying this whenever we were reminiscing on a memory or when we were worried about an event in the future. I have said this quote two different times this week, once to my roommate and once to myself.
I had a wave of sadness last week as I was randomly reminded of being a little girl (I literally cannot tell you how I got to this point, it just happened).
While it was depressing in the moment to think of the past, I was able to appreciate the fact that I did have a wonderful childhood and maybe that is why I am where I am today.
So, I am going to do what my mom says not to do, I am going to get depressed for a moment. In the end, I will look at this article with love, because I loved my childhood.
“Curious George” before school
In pre-school, you were either in the morning or the afternoon class. I was in the afternoon class. When my older brother, Logan, got ready for school in the morning, I did not have to rush. I ate breakfast with my mom and brother but shortly after I would lay on the couch watching “Curious George” while mom got Logan on the bus.
National Museum of Play
I remember going at least once a week (I do not know if that is accurate but that is what it felt like). It was so much fun, and I would still go today as a college student. My dad would meet there for lunch and we would get either Subway or Bill Gray’s. The best parts were the mini Wegman’s (even though they only allowed us to get five items at a time), Jack and the beanstalk in fantasy land, and the little cottage that had wooden furniture where we would play house with the babies. My memories from here are all so vivid and I could probably recite every single area in that museum.
Dance parties in the living room
It was dark and cold outside when these dance parties went on. We would turn on Vevo Music on the TV and would dance around on the carpet. Soon the dancing would just turn into running and banging on the floor (Logan that applies to you), but hey it was fun.
Family basement nights
This is one of the things I thought about this week, my old basement. What a weird memory to recall, I do not even know what triggered that. My siblings and I would scream from downstairs that it was family basement night, and everyone was ordered to be in the basement. Most of the time, we were not even doing the same thing. My dad would be in the workshop, doing some kind of random project. My sister, Paige, and I would be playing with the plastic food in the play kitchen, dressing the Barbies, re-decorating the doll house, or even eating play dough (yes, I did that).
When I think about my childhood, it is strange. Thinking about it has the same effect as thinking about your dream the next morning; only parts are remembered and as you go through the day, other ones start reappearing. It is blurred but at the same time so vivid. I loved my childhood and while I wish I could go back, I never wish to change it.