What I Miss...

I've been feeling nostalgic lately. I keep thinking about all the things I used to do, and all the things I used to have, and I feel a little sad. Maybe it's because my birthday is coming, and I'm feeling a little older. I feel like I am ancient sometimes. Things that I did yesterday feels like it was years ago.

There are so many things that I wished I still have in my life. Maybe I can do some of them again, but I miss...

1. Playing on the swings, and seeing how far you can go. I used to think that it was possible to do a 360 on the swings if I tried hard enough.
2. Japan. How I miss it so very much. I didn't live there that long, but I always feel like it's my home. I miss the walks in snow to school, the cherry blossoms that would take over the streets in spring, the candy my mom would buy when we go shopping, when I thought yogurt was the best dessert on the planet, the trips to the beach where I would wear my funky hats, the train rides to my godmother's house, and when life didn't seem so hard.
3. Family outings to different restaurants every weekend. I don't get to spend that much time with my family anymore, and it makes me kind of sad. I still see them, but we're all so busy doing what we need to do these days that no one has time for each other.
4. Having the most important thing to me was making sure I could play outside. I was outside all the time growing up. I skated. I rode my bike around. I jumped roped. I played house in the mud. I would never come home until it was too dark outside to do anything else.
5. Home cooked meals. My parents aren't home to cook for me anymore, so I am left to make my own meals. This poses as a problem because I don't cook very well.
6. VACATION! I love going to new places, and doing new things. I always feel awful when I come home from a trip. Lately, I have been missing every single trip I have ever went on. I miss pizza from NYC, spelunking in New Mexico, clam chowder from San Fran, sightseeing in Canada, the buffets in Las Vegas, the hiking in Zion, the snow in Park City, the tacos in Mexico, and so much more.
7. Long chats with Frances. I used to basically live at her house, and we would nap and play cards all day. I love the mellowness of our relationship, and how we were convinced that we would live together in the future. Our dreams involved getting a house together, and even dying together. (We would be really old and on a rocking chair, and somehow laugh to death.) Too bad we had to grow up and become dignified.
8. Being young, and always believing that everything will work out. I miss the innocence of youth. To be that carefree again...

I am in no way depressed, and am definitely looking forward to my future. I am just feeling nostalgic lately, and it had me thinking about my childhood. I am sure someday when I am old, I will look at my 20s and think fondly of all the things I did (or will do).