Nostalgia
Today I saw my fourth grade teacher after seven years. It was really nice seeing her. We chatted a little bit and, of course, she asked me the common questions that adults like to ask adolescents (how’s school, have you thought about what college you want to go to, etc.). But, after our nice chat, I felt a sort of nostalgia because during that chat we also talked about fourth grade and she said, “That was a great class.” It struck me that it was really was, as she said, a great class.
I started thinking about how nice it was back in fourth grade when everyone was so carefree. Everyone was so happy and there was no competition about grades or sports or any of those shenanigans. No body complained. It was all about having fun and enjoying simple things. It was a time when I really enjoyed school.
When I was in fourth grade, I lived in the now. The present was the only thing I thought about and it was nice. I miss those days when I went outside for brunch and lunch to play on the large, open field. I miss those days when I built grass huts with my friends and then eventually the whole class joined in. I miss those days when I played “Starball” on the backboards of the blacktop. I miss those days when I played four square during lunch. I miss those days when a teacher had to excuse us from our lunch table so that we could go and play. I miss the all-day reading days when we would build little forts under our desks and just read all day long underneath them. I miss how in fourth grade we had to make our own business for the year and sell homemade products for fake money. I miss the FAME lessons that would happen every month. I miss those days where I would cry on the last day of school.
I miss fourth grade.
Hey, we have the same layout!
Anyway, I definitely agree with you about nostalgia and how we often don’t appreciate things until they are gone. I miss elementary school too but not necessarily because of anything that happened, just because it was a long time ago when I was a different person. I am much happier now than I ever was in elementary school and there’s no true reason for me to be nostalgic because life has only gotten better. I still am, but it’s nostalgia for the sake of nostalgia, if that makes sense.
I would like to believe that life only gets better as you get older but so many things (old age, the inevitable decline, people who peak young) show that this is oftentimes wrong and I believe the only way to combat this is to love what is happening right here, right now.
Yup, yup! I have the same layout as you.
I really like it and it’s super customizable.
Aside from that, I see what you mean about your belief that life only gets better as you age. As time goes on, one gains more independence and can do things they couldn’t do when they were younger (driving, opening a bank account, acquiring responsibility, etc.). All those changes are nice but sometimes I miss the little things I did in the past.