Summertime and the childhood we somehow lost along the way
Ah, March.
When we were younger (and used to worry about little to nothing about life), March used to excite us. It meant summer’s just around the corner. And whether you like the sweat and (excessive) heat it comes with or not, summertime is probably the most thrilling season for kids and adults alike.
We used to associate summertime with all the good things we look forward to after a loooonnngggg school year. It marks the season of halo-halo, endless playtime, pools, beaches, and some much-needed vacation.
Summertime is a kid’s world
I remember the hot summer afternoons I spent pretending to sleep just so I’d be rewarded by delicious, cold treats best enjoyed in summer. There was a wide selection of these, starting from Halo-halo, Mais and Saging Con Yelo, Iskrambol, Sago’t Gulaman, and many more!
If you’re a late 90s to an early 2000s baby, aside from awaiting meriendas, I’m sure most of your summer days were spent playing classic Filipino street games. Remember Piko, Patintero, Ten-twenty, Chinese garter, Ice Water, Tagu-taguan, and Langit Lupa, among others? Boy, our summertime stamina sure didn’t fail us!
What about all the cool sporty stuff that was all the hype on summers? Do you still ride bikes? When was even the last time you’ve seen (or heard of) a waveboard or some roller skates? I know, it’s been ages! But you weren’t afraid to try new things back then. You were always so open to the idea of braving the unknown.
And how nostalgic it would’ve been if even in summers now, we’d see kids doing the activities we get to enjoy as kids. It would’ve been nice to see Jackstones, Pick-up Sticks, Pogs, and Teks again! Or to hear today’s kids playing Itlog na Pabilog and Shiwa Paru. Seeing them dance to it without a care in the world would be even more epic! We used to do that, didn’t we? I can say that our confidence back then was top-notch, too!
Moving forward and looking back
Was there ever a time that you felt like letting go of your childhood was hard? Like you weren’t ready to take on the world just yet so you wanted to stay as a kid for a while more? I mean it couldn’t be just me. Right?
But as hard as it is to let go of what’s easy, at one point or another, well, we still got to face reality. But I think it’s just so nice to look back at times like these, especially with the pressure that adulting brings.
Sometimes we just have to remember all the lessons we learned all those summers ago.
As you brave what the future holds for you, may you always remember how strong you were and whether you believe it or not, you still are. May you be open to exploring stuff beyond your comfort zone as you did back then – it will help you see what you can still do. And in all stuff you do, may you bring forth the confidence that loves within the child in you.
There will always be lessons in all the summertime to come, and all the summers to remember. Breathe. You’re still on track, kid.
