Aging

One,

tender, small hands

reaching for the bottle of milk,

the contents inside sloshing around.

Two,

dragging a faded stuffed bunny

around the kitchen’s island,

one… more… step…

Three,

swerving right and left,

up the steep metal steps,

planting yourself along the slide’s rim.

Eight,

eyes igniting as you approach Disneyland

for the first time in your life,

adjusting your Mickey ears delightedly.

Twelve,

shifting through the dense hallways

jamming your backpack into your locker,

longingly waiting for the school’s end.

Sixteen,

scrolling through your phone

tears burning in your eyes,

who knew so much could happen?

Twenty-two,

Thirty-five,

Fifty-eight,

Seventy-five,

One hundred and two.

Aging,

a well-known side of life,

but what’s unknown

is the true pain of growing up.