Blue. Green. Yellow. Red. 

I watch from a distance.

Watching the colors blur together

As children chase one another

Balloons in hand.

 

I once carried a balloon too.

Park, store, school, home.

Floating above my head,

Everywhere I went. 

 

I once carried a balloon too. 

I once ran freely 

Laughing as my friends

Attempted to tag me

The balloon following behind. 

 

Years went by

With the balloon in hand.

 

And then one day 

As I was frolicking in the fields

Balloon in hand

The wind began to pick up.

As the world around me went quiet

 I heard the voice of the wind call out.

 

The wind willed me:

“Sweet child let go of your balloon. 

Let it go. 

Let my breath carry it away 

Up 

Up 

Into the sky.”

 

My hand clenched around the string

The wind pulled and tugged

I tried to hold on

But it slipped through;

The string thin from years of wear,

My hand tired from grasping on.

 

I watched it gradually climb 

Higher

And 

Higher

Further 

And

Further.

 

Now as I watch the children

Balloons in hand

I realize that although

It was fun to carry around 

My balloon.

 

I am able to do more with two hands

I can take on new challenges

And grow in many ways.

I have learned to take the lead

And take responsibility.

No longer holding 

The balloon in hand.

 

Blue. Green. Yellow. Red. 

I watch the colors blur together

Reminiscing about what once was

But also embracing growing up.

Balloon no longer in hand.