When I was a Kid

When I was a kid I spent many a summer’s night laying back in the dew-covered grass staring up at the stars in an endless sky. I knew there were other inhabited planets and wonders to see. If I could just WILL  my mind to travel across space, I’d be there.

When I was a kid I’d climb my big box elder tree in our backyard. My favorite spots rested among the highest branches. It was like floating in a green cloud. Nothing below or above existed outside my fortress of leaves.

When I was a kid my big sister and I would play Wind God. We’d run outside during a wind storm, twirling around in the gusts. It was a little like flying.

Now that I’m a big kid I spend many a summer’s night sitting on my patio staring up at the stars in a Colorado sky. I know there are other inhabited planets and wonders to see. With sad acceptance, I realize these wonders will be discovered by those who come after me. Yet my dreaming does not end. An even bigger adventure awaits.

Now that I’m a big kid the tree limbs won’t hold my adult body. I miss my floating cloud of green leaves. I cannot forget the people and adventures I’ve experienced among the branches. Each story I write is an attempt to recreate and share that wonderful place of imagination.

Now that I’m a big kid my sister and I still talk about our times playing Wind God. We laugh and shake our heads at the whimsy of children. In our secret hearts, I suspect both of us are sometimes tempted by the wind.

Birth. Growth. Experience. Mentoring. Transition. There is no “The End” to my story.