Valentine’s Mailboxes

Every year a couple days before February 14 my teachers would ask the students to bring in an empty tissue box. And so for the next few days, we would be doing a little project for the up-and-coming 14th. My teacher pulled out the Elmers glue, construction paper, and stickers for us students to embellish the box however we pleased. I made sure to make mine as pretty as can be, with a pink and white theme, hearts, and ribbons galore, I took it very seriously. Inevitably, when the 14th came around each class would have a sort of “gallery walk” passing around candies or snacks, and sometimes the occasional love letter would be dropped into someone’s mailbox. In high school, the most we do for Valentine’s day would be selling grams, they’re still fun to buy and receive but it’s just not the same anymore.

The Neighbor’s Kids

The days were hazy and my world was saturated, the fraternal twins that lived in the house adjacent to the inlet of the corner were out in the singing sun. Their front yard was small and lush yet they were still able to make the most of it by playing every sport imaginable. They too had a little sibling but I never saw him much. Being relatively the same age, my brother and I would occasionally hang out with them during our summer days. My brother and the boy would play basketball or baseball together and I would chit-chat with the girl and her dainty chihuahua. They had two dogs actually, Lucy could be held in the palm of your hand but the other one was as tall as I. As we got older we hung out less and less, I stopped seeing them through their windows, I stopped seeing them out in the yard, I stopped seeing them leave for school, I stopped hearing the ruckus from the house… But this was normal, I knew I wasn’t going to know them for long we were just kids that only shared the name of our road. Years later I wish I invited them over more often, I wish I had waved at them on the mornings before school, and I wish I ran into them on afternoon walks. But most of all. I wished I asked for their names.

Froggy’s Bounce House

From Balancing the Chaos

The occasional birthday party or the boring Sunday afternoon would come around and call my siblings and me to go to Froggy’s Bounce House. The houses looked like cityscapes and the large slides would make me wince in fear. No matter how many visits we made, it never failed to impress me. I could even count the number of random children I’ve befriended in the corners of obstacle courses, the hall of the birthday cake house, or the little ones meant for babies. I remember them all. 

When I look back on photos I found online it scares me how it looks nothing like how I saw them when I was younger but it’s simultaneously exactly what I remember them looking like; if that makes any sense. I’m no longer viewing it from the eyes of a child. Even in this exact photo, I know I’ve been in every single thing depicted. I really miss this place.

To The Girl in Science Class

I still remember the very first smile you gave me and I still remember how you turned heads wherever your legs took you. You were charming, sprite, and gorgeous, and you lit up every room you walked into. At that time you still had long hair, your smile still highlighted the apples of your cheeks, and your eyes still turned into crescent moons when you giggled. You walked the halls with grace and a perfect body that looked good in whatever you wore. You treated everyone like your best friend. You glowed as bright as wildflowers in the midst of Spring. Even your mind was beautiful, honors, a’s, and teacher’s favorite…did you even know what flaws are? I loved you to the core but I hated you just as much. I hated how I couldn’t compare to you, I hated how effortlessly perfect you were, I hated how every boy that liked me turned their hearts to you, I hate how I can’t hate you, I hate it, hate, hate, hate it. 

The Good Fork

They always say it’s what’s on the inside that counts, but socially when has that ever been true? In schools, workplaces, entertainment, social media, etc looks will certainly come with their complementaries.  Intentional or not it is a statistical fact. Though it’s not so much of an alien concept as it all boils down to human nature for us to favor looks. My favorite example of this is what I like to call “The Good Fork Phenomenon”, nearly everyone, including myself, has that specific fork or utensil that you know is the “good one”. But it works just like all the other forks in the drawer, it’s the way it looks that makes it so special.