Trip down memory lane

I turned the ignition and my car started to roar. A few maneuvers and i was out of my house compound. I didnt know where i was headed to but i felt like i needed to get some air. I drove around my neighbourhood for a while and pass the basketball court which i used to play at. Glancing at the faces that were all too familiar, i drove on. It occured to me that it would not be such a good idea to sit around and watch my one-time basketball rivals play basketball. The taunts, thrash talking and egoistical outrages on the court were all too fresh in my memory banks.

Soon, i came across a playground that has swings and a fairly big open field. Instantly, i felt that this was the place that i wanted to take a breather. I got out of my car and headed for the swings that were rectangular in shape and had the words 'play time' on them. The feeling of the metal chains that held the swing to the bars above pushed on tightly upon both sides of my butt was a tad painful but bearable. Apparently, i have grown in size unlike the width of the swings.

I sat on that swing and started to reminisce of the old days. It has been a while since i came here. This was no ordinary playground, it was my playground. My younger days revolved around many a thing but none as significant as this playground. Everyday i would look forward to the evenings during which i could head to the playground and play with my friends be it football, catch or gayful chatter.

It seems that not much has changed since the time my friends and i were comman faces on these grounds. The monkey bars that none of us could get from one end to another without falling, the tunnel slides that we once climbed on top of and sat on, the blue plastic roof shaped like a pyramid that was the only shelter in the entire playground which we would hide from if rain decided to pay us an unexpected visit , the swings that we used to compete to see who could swing the highest, and the seesaw that we would stand on and shake to see who could be the last one standing were all the same as it was back then. I am not very old but it has to have been around 9 years ago.

Looking around me, it seemed to me that nothing has changed. The only thing that has was me. I have grown taller, my looks have certainly changed, my thoughts have matured, and become far more complex, and i have far more responsibilities than i had back then. It was clear that the 9 years of time has taken its toll on me while time must have been frozen for the playground. Certainly, if these monkey bars could speak it would tell of the countless young ones who came, stayed, and left this playground before growing up into men and women. Having to age with time unlike themselves who stay constant to the effects of perpetual time.

So many friends i made while playing on these grounds. Some of which are my best friends today and some others i do not see but miss dearly. This was also the place where my childhood dream of becoming a professional footballer was born. Dribbling pass defenders seemed to be a breeze and i felt that i had what it took to play for United alonside David Beckham. But my dream was soon dashed and disintegrated into ashes when my father explained to a young lad of how only one in a million people are like David Beckham. Imagine being a young child with dreams as high as the stars and being told you cant reach it. Sure, it may be true about what he said but i still think he should have given me the encouragement to at least have a shot at my dreams.

As the sun began to set upon the horizon and be outshone by the moon, i recalled it being time to head home when i was younger. Instead, now i feel indifferent as i spend a lot of my time outside at night and my bed time was far far later than it used to be. I felt at peace, i felt a sense of tranquility and calmness.

As i left, the thought of when my next trip to my childhood playground would be and how much more i would have changed then lingered in my head.