Today, I took a much-needed break from my usual routine and decided to join the kids in our neighborhood for a game of tumbang preso. It was pure chaos and nostalgic fun running around the street, but mid-game, one of the little kids accidentally tripped and fell down. I had to pause the action for a bit to comfort them, dusting them off and calming them down until the tears stopped so we could all jump right back into the fun.
Playing with them was a huge reality check, and it was the first time in a very long time that I actually felt like a kid again. My heart was pumping, the street felt huge, and for a couple of hours, the only thing that mattered in the entire world was hitting that tin can with a slipper. It brought back a flood of memories from my own childhood that I didn’t realize I was longing for.
It really made me realize just how much I truly miss being young. Running around with no care in the world made me yearn for those simpler days when our biggest worry was just getting called inside for dinner, a time completely free from the heavy weight of schoolwork, life problems, and adult responsibilities.