The Melted Ice Cube

It was a magical time. It was youth and exuberance; It was excitement and discovery; it was innocence. It is now just memory, ah, but once it was the reality of sunshine and butterflies. The seeming timelessness of youth is a realistic illusion, when no thought of such days ever ending or even slowing, would enter young minds. And we were there when … Whistles of steam locomotives were heard clear ‘cross town as the enormous engines puffed their way along steel ribbons … in the winter months, sled rides, snowball fights, and ice skating … the summers brought sunshine-filled days of bicycle rides, swimming holes, fishing, and sandlot baseball games … In the fall school started again, and both old and new faces illuminated our days … there were football and basketball games … cheerleaders … after-game dances … and, finally, the garnering of a drivers’ license. Then, quickly it seemed, school, college, military service … that first big-time job … meeting that certain someone … little feet running about the house … another job … another high-school class reunion … Quite unexpectedly, something triggered the conscious realization: Our youth had slipped away. It was a process of erosion … slow … consciously unnoticed, like the melting of an ice cube … It was then fond old memories began seeping back into our thoughts … Some of those old memories were shared with the newest members of our families … sometimes they’d demand: “tell me again …” and we’d comply … The Days of Wine and Roses have given way to the Days of Rhyme and Proses as we read days of retirement away … through a Kindle book. … and those memories are a beautiful reminder of yesteryear … and encourage more memories yet to be made.