Barefoot, Fearless, and Dirt-Stained: A Childhood Uncontained

Every day, the outdoors called my name. If possible, I would have lived under the stars as a child. I was fearless, and everything was an adventure waiting to be discovered. I saw the tops of slides, trees, and even the backs of couches as chances to unleash my daredevil antics. Looking back, I understand why my mother was always worried.

When school let out for the summer, my only thought was to play outside as much as I wanted. I wasn’t a child who got bored easily. I had toys, but since they didn’t play back, they were quickly tossed aside. There were video game consoles, but they couldn’t compete with the thrill of being outside. My bike wasn’t transportation. It was freedom wearing handlebars—riding up and down hills, circling the neighborhood block a dozen times, and finding the highest point just to race down at breakneck speeds.

The neighborhood kids were my partners in crime, and our days were filled with endless joy and just the right amount of trouble. We had water balloon fights, bike races, foot races, hide-and-seek, freeze tag, hopscotch, wrestling, and plain old tag—or sometimes, we’d just hang out on the playground, claiming the swings as our thrones and the jungle gym as our kingdom. We’d hang upside-down like bats from the monkey bars, leap from swings mid-air, and cling to the merry-go-round for dear life because fast was the only way to go. Our conversations were about nothing and everything all at once. Only hunger, thirst, or storm clouds could drag us inside.

As the day came to an end, I’d drag my feet—going inside meant admitting the adventure was over. ‘Just one more hour,’ my heart begged, but the streetlights flickered on, and Mom’s voice cut through the dusk, pulling me home. I flew, feet barely touching the ground. Bursting through the screen door, the sound of it slamming shut echoed behind me—a heartbeat before Mom’s reprimand could take shape. Once inside, dinner waited on the table, and bedtime loomed. But tomorrow? Tomorrow promised even more excitement.

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