Reservoirs

I miss the times when we were little kids: we would play tago-tago and bato-lata and patintero and jackstone, etc. No one minded where our playmates lived or what she wore, or how fat or skinny the other was. No one asked what income level their parents were or what kind of car they were driving. At the end of the day, no matter the status or physique, everyone was equal. We had scraped legs, muddy clothes, sweaty shirts and we were laughing, we had too much fun and we didn't have a care in the world.

I wonder what time in our lives we all grew up and made petty things matter more. Like how much we are earning, where we are working, what kind of clothes you are wearing. I wonder when the changes of a person is determined by how fat or skinny the person has grown instead of thinking how much this person has gone through a lot and survived; instead of being there when your friend needs you the most, no matter what. I wonder when we are encaptured with this sick, unspoken culture of status being more important than friendship.

I just wonder.

And fantasize that I am just an 8-year-old forever deep inside: not trying to fit in to anything, not trying to clamour into any recognition and acceptance, because these things are supposed to be freely given. Not begged. Not mercilessly asked. Not unrequited.