I was just strolling through the park alone after finishing my last cigarette. It's been a bad week what with my break-up and loss of my job. After walking a little ways I decided to take refuge from my weary legs on a nearby swingset. I sat swaying and feeling generally sorry for myself until I caught the sight of a girl of about ten approaching the swingset over which I currently held control.
At first I thought nothing of it until I spotted her mother at a nearby table, book in hand, staring at me. She was obviously uncomfortable with her daughter being around a trenchcoat clad stranger who also sported a Marilyn Manson shirt. Oddly enough I understood her uneasiness.
I was about to leave when I caught myself watching the little girl on the swing. She was laughing and smiling and very excited with her current toy. Then I saw her eyes. They were filled with the innocence and lust for life that is only found in youth. Some say that it's ignorance but not me. I think when you're young you know something that you forget as you age. That's why it's the adults who are depressed and angry and violent. We lost touch with that joy that used to come from within.
I remember when I was young an the biggest concern I had was finding enough players for a baseball game. There wasn't any pressure, stress, or responsibilities. And if something went wrong Mommy could always fix it. Now she could only give advice and an occasional comforting hug. No more kissing it and making it all better. Back then I was in a hurry to go up and now I want to go back. Why do we always want what we can't have?
Now I just saw this girl growing up to be abused by classmates, have her purity stolen by some guy wanting to impress his friends, fall in love and have her heart broken, get married only to have it end in disappointment and any other atrocities that happen along the way.
I just wanted to jump up and take her and protect her from the world and just shout to everyone, "you can't have this one!" But I knew I couldn't. I can't save her from the inevitable.
So I got up and walked over and whispered to her, "Don't grow up. Age, grow up, get older. Live you life but don't grow up and don't forget that one thing."
She quickly whispered, "I won't, I promise." and smiled before her mother grabbed her and took her away.