I Remember When Summer Byfuglien

Remember in Kindergarten, when you learned how to tie your shoe? Now you're doing geometry, but you don’t have a clue. When you used to play with hand me down toys, but now you want to hang out with boys. And everything was so easy when you were two, but now you have chores, practice, and homework that’s already due.

Remember when you could sit at home and watch TV? Now you go to school at eight, and come home a little after three. When you didn’t care if your hair was all messy, but now you have to dress all dressy, as if you would be rejected if you didn’t, and you used to run and play, but now you’re sitting at the big kids’ table on Christmas day.

Remember when you grew out of your first pair of skates? And now you’re going on your first actual date. When you first learned about God, and now you’re getting confirmed. From training wheels to driving automobiles; when you used to go to bed at eight, and now you stay up way too late— Take a trip down memory lane: from your first 6u shift to your last youth hockey game.

Remember when recess time was a break from reality? Now we don’t get a rest, but we have to finish that project; what do you expect?

From your little crib, to your big girl bed; when you were so excited to go and play, but you can’t now, because you have to study to get that A.

Remember when your mom would wake you up? But now you wake up to the charm of your annoying alarm, like birds that just keep chirping. And finally, on graduation day when you confidently march across the stage, but suddenly you disengage and reminisce on all the memories you had with your friends. You start to tear up, because you’re all going your separate ways… Remember in Kindergarten when you learned how to tie your shoe?

I wish my remembrances could turn back to my resemblances...

Summer Byfuglien, Grade 9 Roseau High School, Roseau Teaching Artist: Frank Sentwali