I am from the playground
blisters ripping and my body swinging bar to bar.
From the cramped, clothes-filled closet
experimenting with the length of my hair before the scissors were snatched.
I am from picking the pink nail polish
hoping the principal didn’t yell at the secretary for letting us skip recess.

This is childhood.

From the packing--
the exterior changing
but the designs and decorations remaining familiar.
I am from opportunities of travel
allowing me to immerse myself in Mexican, Hawaiian, and Dominican cultures.
From middle school “I love yous” to the “I hate yous”
finding out those were irrelevant as I matured.

This is adolescence.

I am from wandering around the halls
hoping to find my next class.
From summer nights
filled with impromptu hangouts making memories and stories to pass on.
I am from Arrowhead Girls Basketball
where your teammates are friends--
and your family.

This is entering adulthood.