When I Was Young
When I was young I watched my grandfather lazily rocking in his rocking chair, whittling a piece of cedar. I wondered what in the world he would do with all those shavings that had such a delicious aroma. He greeted everyone that came to visit saying “Hello Steve”, no matter what their names were. Now that I’m older, I wish I had known him better.
When I was young I remember being sent to the garden to hoe the weeds that threatened to choke the tender vegetation growing there. I was so proud of the work I’d done until I learned the difference between corn and a weed. Now that I am older I realize what patience my grandmother exhibited in not scolding me. Seeds are expensive. I didn’t know that when I was young.
When I was young I was the brave captain of a seagoing vessel. My crew consisted of two cousins, who of course were never as brave as I. Our ship was an impressive sized rock on the edge of the creek. It extended from the rim of the water up onto the bank and almost reached the road above. As I grew older the rock, or ship, didn’t seem so large and my adventures in the tempest were fewer and fewer and I became sad. At some point, I wasn’t so young anymore and the small things I once enjoyed seemed trivial and silly. My playmates changed also and we went separate ways. Now I am older and I long for those carefree play days when my imagination took me to places I would never go as an adult.
Now I am older and I long to see the world through youthful eyes again. I want to stand in awe of every blade of grass, blowing in the wind. I want to study anthills and gain a new respect for those busy little creatures. I want to get out of the whirlwind that keeps blowing me about, never letting me stop to watch my kids grow or sit and talk with my mom, who more recently reminds me of my grandmother. Why was I in such a hurry to grow up? Now that I am older I find I often steal away to when I was young.
iannolte said,
July 6, 2007 at 2:50 pm
Angela, I love this piece. This sentence is particularly beautiful: “As I grew older the rock, or ship, didn’t seem so large and my adventures in the tempest were fewer and fewer and I became sad.”
Kim said,
July 6, 2007 at 2:54 pm
Angela,
This is a wonderful piece. It definitely took me back to the time when I was young helping my grandmother in her garden. I wish I could have just one more day, or even one more hour to spend with her. It’s a shame that youth is wasted on the young.
Kim
Bonnie said,
July 6, 2007 at 3:03 pm
I loved thinking about the times that I spent in my dad’s garden. He used to force me to help, but after a few hours and many “new potatoes” chopped in half–he didn’t make me anymore. I was a BEAST with the hoe! And kudos to Kim–”it is a shame that youth is wasted on the young”. Wouldn’t you like to know all that you know now…back then?
Robin said,
July 6, 2007 at 3:07 pm
Your imagery was so strong here I could almost feel it. What a wonderful tribute to childhood. Thanks for sharing.
Dolores Scherer said,
July 6, 2007 at 3:12 pm
I love the feeling that this piece evokes. Our childhood years do take on a larger than life meaning, don’t they? You are a super writer, keep it up.
mellis said,
July 6, 2007 at 3:17 pm
We can go home again with our pens. Thoughts like this are captured forever with our writings. This memory is so beautiful that I had to write “perty too”.
jstapleto said,
July 6, 2007 at 3:22 pm
Beautiful. You make me long for the eyes of childhood innocence.
Heather said,
July 6, 2007 at 3:27 pm
Wow…very nice reflection on your childhood. I think we all have a time when were able to be the captain of our own ships. It is just so sad that it is a place that we will never be able to returen. Why didn’t anyone tell us this back then?
Greg said,
July 6, 2007 at 3:35 pm
Such a touching story. I love reading writings like this. I think we Appalachians have such a way of linking to our grandparents and other relatives. We can also describe childhood memories in a way no one else can.