I remember when life was simple.
I viewed it through rose-colored glasses. I was raised in a conservative, Christian household and was homeschooled. I forget often just how good and simple those days were.
When they ran together one into the next. When life revolved around my favorite events each week-- Sunday night Pioneer Clubs, Wednesday afternoon choir, and Friday morning co-op. Because I was homeschooled, I lived for those moments when I could see my friends. And the icing on the cake was going to McDonald's on Fridays. Oh, those simple pleasures.
And then in the summers, when the days were long and we would play outside all day long. Riding our bikes, making up games in the backyard, my favorite being "Underground" in which my sisters and I discovered an entire world beneath us.
I remember when trips to Grandma and Grandpa's in the summer, but most especially at Christmas time, were magical. I mean that when I say magical, because there was nothing like it. I think those are my best memories from my childhood. My grandparents knew how to make those visits so special. I don't know if it was because in my family we didn't really do a whole lot "as a family." For some reason, when we went to Grandma and Grandpa's, it really felt like I was home. I miss those times more than I can even express.
I remember when that curtain between my childhood and reality became slowly lifted. Is it bad? No, but I do miss the simplicity of those days. I don't think of them often, but when I do the nostalgia almost overcomes me. I dream of one day having a family of my own, because I want to give that to my children. I want to live those memories again with them. I want them to remember happy, simple times. Sure, there are things I will do differently than my parents did, because they didn't do everything right (does anyone?) but I want my children to have a happy childhood in the same way I did.
