“Let’s go to the park after school!”

A staple phrase during my childhood. Summers even more so.

It is interesting, I have moved states 8 times, made new friends all over again, and had to learn a new place and its demographics.

However “The Park” applied the same every time. There was no doubt about which park. It was always the hub of my childhood. In the end, it always felt like the same place, but with a new crowd. A new group of friends. New people to teach silly games I’ve learned throughout my Military Brat travels.

Even having to push my baby sister in the stroller along with the other 2 little sisters in Jersey, by the time we got there fighting words disappeared and the air filled with laughter, freedom and an energy bearing purity. Being pure isn’t to be innocent, to be clean, to be modest. To be pure is to let your actions reflect your heart. To simply be yourself. No dishonesty, no prevarications, no masks; just allow your aura to shine through without obstacles clouding your judgement. You are your biggest enemy and critic.

I learned a lot at each park I went to; each playset was different, the crowd changed, even the air felt different. But what I felt in my spirit never waivered.