When I was Young, Wild and Free

When I was Young, Wild and Free

By Marian Palmira S. Lopez

“Take Kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of the youth.”

This snippet from my favorite poem, Desiderata by Max Ehrman is a recap that I had an awesome childhood and I had lived it to its fullest.

At times, I tend to smile looking back to those memories when I was just a little earthling.  I couldn’t be much happier and contented of what I had.  That was the time that that your only problem is thinking of what would be the best game of the day for you to play and if, your parents would permit you to go out of the house. 

When I was just a little girl, I was likely to play toy guns, riding my bicycle and turning my sister’s wardrobe and dresser a complete mess.  I loved playing wrestling and more likely to have fights with boys. That’s because I always get pissed when they won’t let me join their games  cause they say it’s no game for a girl.  For that reason, I always get home looking like a homeless kiddo. 

I don’t know why but I didn’t like Barbie dolls, or paper dolls and collecting stamps like my sisters did.  In my case, my world revolves in my bicycle, and how could I possibly get inside the house without my mom seeing me with a grubby face. I can still remember that I would even pray that it would rain so hard so that we could ride in banana trunks again and go swimming in the floods.  

When we transferred our home uptown, I think I had the best time of my life! It was in the Northern part of the province and I tell you, the place is such a beauty! Though we lived far from the villagers, children would come to our house and we’d play all day long! We would fly kites, in the wide plains; playing catch me if you can in the rice fields and hide and seek when it’s full moon.  Going fishing in the river and climbing fruit trees are bliss. 

The best times for me were when we would go up the hills and slide our way down using or coconut fronds or used sacks of corn that we would steal from the cellar.  You can imagine how we screamed going down and laughed our hearts out when we’re stumbling and rolling down the hill. And going home is like ending your happy ever after.

During grade school, I have become a little bit of a boyish type and all I wanted to wear is my rubber shoes and my puroy shorts and T-shirts. My dresses were only worn during family gatherings and if it’s your turn to recite your latest poem you’ve memorized. 

Time flies so fast and then came my passion for drawing sprout. I loved the idea of creating something out of your imagination.  I loved drawing nature; especially different kinds of flowers. That time I would just sit in the corner and draw.  I could definitely watch Art Attack whole day, and follow their art projects.  That maybe gave a relief to my parents, that at last, I am considering girlish stuff this time.  Also, that maybe ended my childhood days.

Now, I’m a full grown woman and I can absolutely tell you that I have lived my youth to the maximum.  I am what I am now because of it. I have no regrets. I have no frustrations and I have no what ifs. I surrendered it gracefully.