Fireflies

I was 4 year old or maybe younger. My brother and sister would take me to park in the evening and I’d catch fireflies. I guess I belong to the last generation of those people whose childhood was not shadowed by the technology. I mean the computers, smartphones and Xbox kind of stuff. Computer and video games were there but, playing outside with friends was the trend.

My childhood was all about Tom and Jerry, Pokemon, Digimom, Beyblade, Johny Bravo, Power Puff Girls, Recess (and many more)…these were the cartoons we used to watch and even collect their cards from chips packets. The person with the biggest collection was looked at with respect. My cousin had this huge collection of Pokemon cards. He had this whole bundle and I guess he still has it.

Today I was swapping channels and I saw the old episode of Pokemon playing. I instantly stopped and in few seconds I was transported back to my childhood. Those happy, carefree days when everyday I’ll go on a new adventure with Ash, Brock and Misty. This one episode brought back a flood of memories. I had seen that episode and I knew what will happen, but the joy of reliving the past was beyond everything and quite irresistible.

As I grew up a little, the focus shifted to Disney channel. Lizzie McGuire, That’s So Raven, High school Musical and not to forget Disney animated movies. Today when I look back I realize that I’ve had a wonderful childhood. As a child, going to the park in the evening and playing till my mom would not call me back was natural. Now, I go to the park with few of my school friends and see them empty. I don’t see children on swings or playing games. I would just see a few aunties walking with their headphones.

These parks are lifeless and not the same. As a little girl I used to run after fireflies or “Jugnu”, as I used to call. I would catch one or two every day. I just loved them and was always fascinated by them. To me they were like flying stars, stars that I always wanted to catch and keep. Although, I never had a chance to keep them in a jar because my parents told me that they’d die. Now, I don’t see them anywhere in the park. It’s like they’ve disappeared and taken away all the light and life from the parks.

 Now, that I think about the fireflies, well I guess that they are just a fragment of my imagination. My mind says that such creatures exist and you’ve held them in your hands but, my heart is struggling to remember. I want to hold them again in my hands and feel that ecstasy and magic. I know it’s a childish desire, but a desire which stems from the want of feeling happiness in small things!! I wish to borrow the light from the fireflies to light up my world. I want to ignite the fire to revoke back the child in me.

PS: Just to be clear, I’m not very old. I’m 18 and want to always keep the child inside me alive. So, I sometimes like to walk back on memory lane; go to the parks or for that matter watch the old cartoons!! ;) :)