Rage
Submitted in response to Words Alive’s QuaranTEENS prompt, All the Feels
If rage were a color, it would be red
as red as lipstick.
If rage were a taste,
it would be just like spicy sauce.
If rage were a smell,
it would be as bad as sulfur.
If rage were tangible,
it would feel like breaking a keyboard.
If rage were a sound,
it would be as loud as me screaming.
Sadness
Submitted in response to Words Alive’s QuaranTEENS prompt, All the Feels
If sadness were a color,
it would be blue, as blue as "Sadness" from the movie "Inside Out" .
If sadness were a taste,
it would be just like salt - like salty tears that pour down our cheeks when we cry.
If sadness were a smell,
it would be as moldy as an empty house, when no one is using it.
If sadness were tangible,
it would feel like an onion - we can cry when we cut it.
If sadness were a sound,
it would be as a baby crying as when he/she is in pain.
My life matters. So does yours.
Submitted in response to The Coronavirus in Just Six Words writing prompt.
My life matters. So does yours.
Wind
April 15, 2020
Sun Blazing.
Uphill battle.
Trees stood still.
Grass, stubborn.
We ascended to the peak.
Disappointing.
Lizards were omnipresent.
Small kicks on the way down.
Not good enough.
April 16, 2020
Refreshing burst at the summit.
It kept us moving.
Soft sway filled the sky.
As the breath of the clouds navigated the mountain.
Tranquil winds showed us the way home.
Birds followed happily.
April 20, 2020
4.5 miles of muggy air.
Pure misery.
Sun beats down on our wary bodies.
No redemption until the end.
When a grand gust shook the trees.
Blowing away our fatigue
Relief.
Mocking birds celebrate in the sky.
A new trail, another day.
April 21, 2020
Trite air hung heavy.
Diminutive currents hit us, rounding the mountain.
Nothing special.
Dull, hazy.
Trees barely swayed and the grass did not try.
Birds seemed bored out of their minds.
April 22, 2020
Sizzling, no scorching.
Unbearable.
Lizards laid relishing the sun.
While we were afflicted by headaches.
Not even a small gust came to lift us up.
It just pushed us down, down, down.
Asphalt radiated heat.
Shade didn’t help.
A miserable walk for blithering fools.
April 23, 2020
Nothing grand.
Nothing dull.
Just there.
It just was a breeze that existed on its own.
Trees danced and shimmied.
Birds sang.
We walked.
April 27, 2020
Trees danced as if it was a country hoedown.
Birds soared through the skies.
Grass jumped from side to side.
Refreshing and crisp despite the heat of the sun.
We ascended quickly.
And descended slowly savoring the gusts.
A lovely day, I wish could last forever.
A Dream Short Lived
“I wanna have the same last dream again, the one where I wake up, and I’m alive.” This is the first line from one of my favorite songs, called The Adventure, by Angels and Airwaves. It’s a song I listen to quite often, and this opening line I’ve always heard, or overlooked. But then, a crisis emerged, one that we would experience only once in our lifetimes. Before we knew it, the world ground to a halt; completely shut down. Everything we knew, and everything we did, was suddenly gone. Everything we took for granted suddenly vanished. Then, the line made sense. It had meaning to me for the first time, and I could feel its power, and how it relates to what we’re all going through now. This is the story of how one line has delivered a sincere, and clear, message.
Part 1: The Dream Itself
It all started in January, the month after the new, and infamous, Coronavirus was discovered and began to spread around the world. Everybody thought nothing of it, and we went about our daily lives. I was just having another day at my small private school, where I had been for only about a year, and I had mixed feelings about the place. By that time, I wasn’t enjoying myself anymore, and I had outgrown the small community. The school had turned to rust, because it felt like every day was the same, and the challenges were sparse. That was before the dream, when I thought that attending a private school was as good as it would get.
But then, a new possibility emerged, a new room that I hadn’t seen before. It was the end of another day, and as I got changed after physical education, I read my text messages. I found that I had the opportunity to enroll at a new school, High Tech High Mesa. At first, this different school system seemed like a distant, and near impossible, endeavor. As a matter of fact, my family had been trying to get me into this school system for years. But now, the possibility wasn’t as far away as before. There was a catch however, and that was despite my liking for the private school diminishing, I couldn’t just leave, and it was hard to part with the old school. The small music program was the hardest, as I was the lead player in the orchestra, having played cello for about six years. The other hard part to leave behind was that the school was like a large family, where everyone knew each other. It took me a few days to make my final decision, but in the end, I opted to leave my small private school behind, in light of something far more superior, and memorable.
But then I realized that my decision was one of the best ones I could have possibly made. Upon my arrival at my new school, I entered the best dream I’ve had to date. However, it was in the middle of the night. I found myself with a challenge no one else had, getting caught up. To make the situation even more difficult, I had to go to my old school to finish finals, and close out my time there. However, the process took about only two weeks, and I quickly became one of the top people, academically, in my class. All of the sudden, school seemed easy, and I actually began to like education. I used to have a rough reputation, and felt unstable at times. But now, I felt like I was on top of the world. Most importantly to me, I actually had friends at this new school, something that seemed impossible at every other school I was at before. The hands-on, project-based learning made the experience even better for me. Little did I know that this sudden change would affect something else I do outside of school.
Outside of school, I’m a model railroader, and part of a 6,000 square foot model train layout in Balboa Park, known as the La Mesa Model Railroad Club. It was a voluntary effort, and up to my point of entry at the new school, I felt pressured, and wasn’t being myself. This affected my overall performance there, and it led to inadvertent consequences. However, similar to my new school, I was now satisfied and I became more relaxed instead of stressed. The train club became yet another happy place for me, just like it was supposed to be when I first joined in 2017.
By now, I felt like I was living my life to the fullest, and became the person I originally hoped to become. My entire life was a dream, and it changed course significantly in a short amount of time. Amazingly, my life changed from a simple yes or no question, like a light switch being turned on. My life was changing, and it would be altered again far too soon, as I met an obscure disposition, one that I still don’t understand.
Part 2: Longing for Return
Unfortunately, like all dreams, this one was short-lived and I would soon find myself back in the same boat I got out of. I woke up, as if in a nightmare, on March 13th, a rainy Friday. This would be the last of my good days, as of now. While working on our small farm, during physics, I got some interesting news. The news would turn my life upside down, and take me back down the road that I hated, and didn’t want to return to. It was a different situation though, one outside of my hands, and one nobody saw coming, nor faced before. It was a situation about the Coronavirus, and two vital parts of my life were about to come to a screeching halt. By now the new Coronavirus, infamously named COVID-19, was spreading rapidly internationally. The disease was spreading violently, and unforgivingly, like the 2018 Mendocino Complex Fire in Northern California, which burned about 500,000 acres, and was deemed California’s largest wildfire. I was hearing about this virus, and its threat, but I thought it was distant, and that it wouldn’t, under any situation, spread violently. But little did I realize that my life over the next few months would be shaped around distance.
The news was from Brett, High Tech High Mesa’s principal. It was bomb-dropping, and I learned that school would be closed for 3 weeks, due to the Coronavirus, which I then learned became a pandemic, a word I had never even heard of before. It was a possibility at first, but then became much more than we all thought of. The same day, and weeks before, my new found friends and I made jokes over the virus, and it became a regular concept of humor. But then, it wasn’t a joke anymore, and everybody was caught off guard. The rain was to fall for the next week or so, bringing the end to our good weather, and the best six weeks I have ever experienced.
At first, the knowledge of being out of school for 3 weeks wasn’t any issue. But the same day, as I sat in advisory, I learned that the La Mesa Model Railroad Club was to shut down also, meaning that all I had to look forward to was nothing. Absolutely nothing, a phrase to describe complete emptiness. Then it hit me, what I once thought was never going to affect me on a personal level had suddenly done what I thought it wouldn’t. However, there was still one source I had, the beach. I began going here regularly, until its eventual shutdown a few days later. Then, the century-long weeks began, as quarantine became a reality.
As I was gone from school, I got updates from another staff member in the High Tech High community. In every update, the possibility of returning on the set date of April 7th became more and more diminished. This followed after California Governor Gavin Newsom shared his opinion on how California schools may not reopen in the 2019-2020 school year, and then the stay-at-home order not long after. Eventually I got the inevitable news, stating that we wouldn’t be returning to school on April 7th, and that school would be moving online. My confidence at this point was damaged beyond repair; written off. My life became a nasty mess, and my school was reduced to online learning, like rubble, something nowhere near what it used to be. My happiness turned to anger, and I felt this all the time.
However, what angered me most was how I felt like a cursed child. For years, I hated school, and never found it effective. I always felt down, especially through middle school, and part of 9th grade. But then a sudden change led to new beginnings, and I finally found what I was looking for, the perfect learning environment. But because of something outside of my control, it was all taken away from me. It feels like a streak of bad luck, and that the entire ongoing crisis is centered around me.
It’s hard to tell whether or not my life is a mess, or that I’ve taken a loss. On the outside, it seems like I’m doing just fine. Both my parents are still employed and receiving paychecks, I have a roof over my head, and I eat three meals a day. However, right now, my life is a tale of two worlds.
The first is the outside world, the one that makes it seem like I’m thriving, considering the current circumstances. However, nobody has to scratch the surface very far to find the reality of how I feel inside. The other world is the one deep inside of me, acting as the complete opposite, making me feel insecure, and depressed, just like I was before I joined the High Tech school system. This place is one that gets my hopes up and crushes them, as well as giving me the feeling of being cursed. While it may seem like life, externally, is far more important than what happens inside, the mental mind is one that is far more powerful, and controlling.
This simultaneous collision of two worlds reminds me of a book I read called With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo. This book talks about a teenage mom who’s a talented chef, and has experienced many ups and downs in her life. However, through the journey of a culinary arts class her senior year, Emoni, the book’s main character, experienced a dramatic change to her life. Throughout the story, she followed her culinary dreams passionately, and eventually took a trip to Spain, to further expand her knowledge about culinary arts. This experience ended up making her a far better person overall. On the outside, before, she felt over confident, and on the inside insecure. However, through culinary arts, her two worlds formed together into one. I’m hoping that the COVID-19 experience will help me grow overall, and make my two worlds form together into one, but only time will tell.
My life was great, like a dream, a new reality. But then, as it was taken away from me, I longed to return to that dream I once had. I lost everything from the Coronavirus, and it gave me much difficulty in continuing on. Unfortunately, the reality is that my life won’t ever exactly be the same, just like I want it to be. What’s disappointing is that reality always wins over a dream, but all I want to do is relive that lively dream again. Maybe someday I will, but that all depends on what you, the reader, does to change the route of this dangerous crisis.
All lives, no, black lives matter.
Submitted in response to The Coronavirus in Just Six Words writing prompt.
All lives, no, black lives matter.
Ramadan in the Time of Coronavirus
My Playlist for Getting Through COVID-19 ft. Kero Kero Bonito
“Break” —KKB
“Time Today” —KKB
“My Party” —KKB
“It’s My Party” —Lesley Gore
“Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows” —Lesley Gore
“Falling Down” —Lil Peep ft. XXX
“Life is Beautiful” —Lil Peep
“Material Girl” —Madonna
“Dead Man’s Party” —Oingo Boingo
“Dancing Queen” —ABBA
“Nowhere Girl” —B-Movie
“Time Today” by Kero Kero Bonito
I feel that “Time Today” represents what’s going on currently extremely well. This song talks about how Sara (the singer and writer), has a lot of free time, and during that time she thinks about her hopes and dreams. She decides that using the time she has to make plans was one of the best things she could do. At the moment, everyone is stuck at home with a lot of time on their hands. I agree with that way of thinking. I believe that people can either spend their time waiting and/or getting into bad routines, or you can make use of the resources you have to build knowledge and expand on your dreams (honestly just anything that uses your brain). I know that everyone is getting through this situation in their own ways, whether it’s food, procrastination, or exercise; but no matter what your coping methods are, it’s important to stay hopeful and strong. To focus on what you can do, and not vice versa.
“I’ve got so much time today. I’ve got hopes and dreams and plans all yet to be made, so look out the way 'cos I'm coming through now I got something to do; and I'll try, as I might, to keep up with the light.”
—Kero Kero Bonito
“My Party” by Kero Kero Bonito
This song relates to me personally during quarantine (and maybe a few others who had quarantine birthdays). The song “My Party” talks about how Sarah (the singer) is having a party, and that no matter who or what you’re going through you’re welcome to come; she doesn’t discriminate. As long as you’re willing to party. It also talks about how someone doesn’t necessarily need a reason to party, and that sometimes it’s okay to want to have fun. This reminded me of my birthday this year. Since my birthday was during quarantine, I didn’t really get the chance to celebrate. I didn’t mind all that much but missed my friends more than usual that day.
“I’m having a party. Everyone can come. By the way you’re invited! You seem pretty fun. I’ve got a massive sound system, the biggest in the world. DJ spins all the runes, that will make you move. I don’t need a reason to get down, but if it’s your birthday you're still welcome to come round. My Party.”
—Kero Kero Bonito
“Break” by Kero Kero Bonito
“Break” is a song that I feel could represent before, during, and most likely after quarantine. The song talks about how at some point everyone needs a break; we sometimes don’t believe we deserve one, but everyone does at some point. Most of the people I know (including me) were having trouble being stressed and feeling overwhelmed, to the point where it was difficult to get stuff done. Then, COVID became a concern near us, and school was canceled until further notice. Now that everyone has nothing to do, they want something to do; but when there’s something to do, that’s when no one wants to do anything.
“I know it seems kind of tough, but really it’s easy enough, for us to slow down the pace so we can all go take a break. In Fact there’s not much better than nothing at all, and that’s especially true, when there is something to do.”
—Kero Kero Bonito
Quarantine has helped me see how much I enjoy being around my friends, or just people in general. I plan on taking my freedom much more seriously once this is all over. I’m taking the time I have at home now to grow and learn. To build better ways to strengthen self-care. I’ll take the good habits I built during quarantine into the rest of my high school career. Taking time to nourish yourself is important, and I think that now is the perfect time to do so.
A Gift of Shoes
Are you friends with someone that you have known for a long time, and will do anything for? I have a friend, who I’ve known for all my life, and it was his birthday this past weekend. I’ve known him for so long because we’re neighbors, and our families have lived on the same block since before we were born. He lives with his grandparents, and his mom has only been around the last few years. He doesn’t call her mom, but rather by her first name. My friend isn’t poor, but they don’t have a lot.
Sometimes his grandparents forget about him, since they are really old, in their 80’s, and they sit around on the couch, and go to casinos a lot. We became friends in kindergarten, because we used to sneak out of the classroom to play in the bathroom. We would army crawl out of the class, and the teacher wouldn’t even see us. I still sneak out with him to go skateboarding, and to hang out. He always teases me, saying that I’m spoiled, because my mom buys me whatever I want, whenever I ask for it, but I don’t think I am. However, when I saw his Converse sneakers, one day while we were hanging out in my garage, I saw that they were old and worn. It made me think that I’m pretty lucky because I have a lot of shoes. I’d give him a pair of my shoes, but his feet are too large, and he wears a size 13. So when I saw his Instagram story, saying that it was his birthday, I remembered his shoes. I knew that he didn’t have any good pairs of shoes, because he skates and they’re all torn up. His Converse shoes have holes on the bottom, and broken laces. Meanwhile, the other pair has cracks all over the bottom, so sand and dirt can get in. While he has a pair of slides, those aren't really shoes.
I had remembered that he wanted new shoes for Christmas, but he didn't get any. As a result, I had an idea to get him a new pair of shoes that would last him a while. I didn’t have any money so I asked my mom if she would buy them for him. She of course said yes, although I had to work half the price off working in the backyard. My mom likes my friend, and says that he’s a nice kid, so she will do anything for him. Unfortunately, the new shoes were $60, and I had to work for 3 hours laying big rocks in the backyard, since she paid me $10 an hour. However, I thought it was worth it to get him new shoes, because everyone needs a new pair. I hope he likes them.
The shoes arrived today, and it took only two days. I wanted to give them to my friend, but my mom said that I needed to pay them off first. She then told me to go lay some rocks. Why does she have to be like this? I’m so lazy that I don’t want to do anything, but I knew that he needed these shoes. So I had to do the work, because there was no way to change my mom's mind! I did my school work, and math tutoring. Afterward, I went outside, grabbed a shovel, and got to work. First, I put a tarp under the rocks to stop weeds from growing. I had already done 5 feet of the planter, but I had gotten lazy and quit. There were so many spiders under the rocks, and I hate spiders! It only took me about 30 minutes to do the job, and when my mom looked at the work, she said good job. However, I still needed to trim the tarp and fill in some spots. Eventually, the job was finished.
Soon after I finished talking to her, I washed up, and started wrapping my friend's shoes. Since I do origami I’m pretty good at wrapping presents. Then I walked over to his house to give it to him, and my dad made sure that I wore a mask and he told me to keep 6 feet away. It felt really good walking over there, because I knew that the gift would last him a while. He thanked me for the gift, because he usually doesn't get any gifts on his birthday. All around, it was a good day. I still owe my mom an hour of work, but my dad paid me $15 an hour so that I worked less. He then talked a little about minimum wage. Later, when I was checking my phone, I saw that my friend had written a thank you on his Instagram story about the shoes. Since we can’t go outside, he’s been wearing them around the house to break them in. I can’t wait for us to go skating again.
I’m so glad that I was able to do this for my friend, since he’s always been there for me. I’m grateful to be able to help him because this gift will last him a long time. I know if I need anything, I can count on him.
Quarantine Journal
Serendipity
A collection of my covid diary entries.
Coronacation
You know, no one thought corona or even the break we got because of it would last long. We made jokes about it, and we still do, but we’re also still stuck at home. Everyone had fun plans to do over spring break, but everything was so unexpected. Even though people miss school and are bored during this pandemic, I’ve been enjoying it as much as I can.
I hate corona, but so many positive things have happened to me since the outbreak. I let go of an unhealthy and toxic relationship, which was upsetting but I’m “losing feelings and emotions” towards it slowly. I feel almost numb towards it, but that may be a good thing.
I grew some confidence which was surprisingly really easy, but I think it’s because I took bullying as a little push from people to start doing things for myself and try to live life how I wanted to.
I also started liking going out a lot, especially just walking around outdoors or at the beach. I don’t quite know what “manifesting” or “manifest” means spiritually, and I wish someone would tell me what it means, but I believe I’ve been manifesting a lot during this break without realizing it, and I believe it’s working well but slowly. However, I don’t want to get my hopes up too high just in case I’m wrong.
I’ve been seeing my siblings way more than I used to before corona, but I’m not complaining because it’s fun. I’ve also gotten close to my parents. They’re all I have at home and most of the time, so I took advantage of the virus to start building a better relationship with them and I’m glad I did.
Yes, I miss seeing people’s faces in person, and I miss making plans with friends that never end up happening, and I miss the mall, swimming, and everything, but it’s so important to make the best out of a bad situation or else you’ll just become sad… and I had to learn the hard way.
Skool Sux
Online school started. It sucks. The homework is suddenly so much harder than it used to be or should be. Classes feel like they’re taking forever even though they’re extremely short. I lost interest in doing homework and in my grades. I don’t know why, but I know I’m not the only one.
There will always be a small number of assignments that I will do only because they’re either not hard or are genuinely really fun to do. However, at some point I had to step it up and start doing my work because my grades do matter, that’s why I’m on my bedroom floor typing this and will be doing exactly that for the next three days.
Mother’s Day
I was taking a quick and normal shower. I was almost done until I got that dizziness feeling you get when you get up too fast, except it lasted way longer than it should’ve. I was seeing random shapes and colors and I kind of stopped hearing. I got really scared so I yelled “mama” so my mom can come into the bathroom. She came in thinking I just needed something like a towel, but I told her I couldn’t see and immediately passed out on her.
I woke up again after a few minutes to her panicking and I was halfway out of the shower. I remember asking her what happened but fainting again. I woke up the second time to my mom dragging me onto my bed all wet. I was about to throw up on my bed but fortunately, I didn’t. I then told her I was fine afterward. I heard my dad rushing into the house and my downstairs neighbor asking what’s wrong. Turns out my dad left a cart full of wood in Home Depot and ran back home which caught my neighbor’s attention.
I felt like it was my time to die. I accepted that at that very second, I would never live or take another breath again. Even though it was terrifying, if death was like how I experienced passing out, I wouldn’t be as scared of death as much. “Death” would be really easy and smooth, but it’s not because I just passed out, nothing else.
Yes, it was the scariest thing to ever happen to me, but I know it was harder for my mom. She was so scared. She told me my face turned yellow and my eyes were wide open. She had to carry me and hold me the whole time all on her own. She was crying and panicking the whole time.
Although I laughed about it at the end, I felt really bad because it was mother’s day and I had to scare my mom and spend the whole day at the ER just because I didn’t drink enough water and eat enough healthy food. However, it taught me a lesson; TO START DRINKING MORE WATER AND EATING MORE HEALTHY!! I don’t want another IV or needle in my arm anytime soon. It was painful.
Juvie
On March 16th, my friend, Ethan told me to stay up because he was going to a party and was going to keep me updated. He wanted to show me what it was like to “live.” I stayed up that night waiting for him to text me, but he never did. I didn’t text him anytime after that, but I missed him so much. I missed him to the point where I felt the need to text him and ask what happened and where he was, so I did, on April 27th.
I told him I missed him and asked if he was in juvie because I had a pretty good guess that he was. The next day, he texted me and told me that he was in juvie for three weeks. He got arrested on the same day as the party, which is what I figured. He told me he liked juvie which I found very odd.
Our small conversation and “check-up” ended. He said he had to go and I said bye. After that, he disappeared again. I don’t know where he is now and he hasn’t been active on social media. I hope he’s not in juvie again or even dead.
Post Covid-19
I cannot wait until the virus blows over. I have so many plans. I want to go to the mall to buy clothes, maybe even shoes, eat panda express, and have a Nutella with strawberry crepe. I also want to go to a seafood restaurant to eat shrimp, crab, lobster, and sushi. I’m most excited to go to Belmont Park with all of my friends. After that, we’ll go over to the beach and have In N Out afterward. SeaWorld with my family and Aquatica with my friends sounds fun, but I honestly don’t know if Aquatica shut down or not. Lastly, my mom is planning on buying me a pair of good roller skates which I’ll be able to use all summer long.
I hope I can make these “dreams” come true. It’s usually my parents getting in the way of making these dreams become reality, but I have a feeling they could happen.
Wake Up Call To The World
I never fully understood why my parents were so strongly forbidding me from going to the store. Until recently, I went to the Costco near my house and I discovered what my parents were trying to save me from. Seeing everyone wearing masks, empty shelves, it all sounds like an apocalypse movie gone very real. Me constantly being alert, eyes wide open to see how far apart people are from my mother and me.
I pray that no one gives me a reason to unleash all the fear and anger I have resonating inside me. I am filled to the brim with anxiety. My breath starts to become heavier and heavier and I start to feel like I have to throw up. I tell my mother that I feel like I can't breathe. She realizes that this is becoming too much for her daughter but she calmly tells me to try and slow down my breathing, she tries to help me calm down.
Suddenly when I came home that day I realized that being inside sheltered from seeing the true elements of this catastrophic mess is better than experiencing it for yourself. It is peaceful on the roads and sidewalks but complete and utter havoc and terror in grocery stores. You seem to keep repeating in your head six feet apart over and over again. Finding yourself holding your breath each time someone gets an inch too close. People argue back and forth over who is getting toilet paper and who is to close for comfort; cussing left and right at each other.
But on the sidewalks, it's a whole different story. Sidewalks are peoples zen, a place of peace. An escape to breathe and say you are blessed. You are blessed because you woke up this morning, many did not have that experience this morning or last night. You see people trying to better themselves to try and reflect whether that be physically or mentally. Us teens are feeling trapped but never fully understand how the world is, the world is a cruel place. We all think this isn't true until we actually experience it for ourselves. Sometimes we need a wake-up call telling us, “hey this world isn’t all sunshine and daisies.”
This was my wake up call that no one is going to look after you the way you and your family do. I would rather constantly feel trapped and constantly hear the words COVID-19. Along with hearing an idiot speak words so big he probably has a hard time understanding them himself. I would rather experience that then what I experienced that day out.
I'd like to think that this is the world trying to detox itself from all the harm we have caused it. All of the wildfires, pollution, animal endangerment, etc. This is the world putting everything on pause so we can take a minute and reflect on all that we have done. This is the time to be at peace with yourself and breathe, not to be worried about anything else, and not think of anything else. For these past few days of quarantine, I have been going outside, sitting in my backyard and listening to music; closing my eyes, and just living and loving life for what it is. Returning to old joyous memories I have from my younger years.
We all have to remember that God does things for a reason, maybe he did this for a reason. Maybe this was him stopping the world from spinning round and round and hitting pause so we can all put our phones down and remember what life was like as our younger selves. To give us a chance to play board games, do puzzles, and remember what it was like being a kid with no stress, no worries, just loving life.