We are who we become.

That being said, I wasn’t always the good girl I am today.

For years, I almost never listened to my parents. I wore clothes that they disapproved of, engaged in activities that they wouldn’t allow and generally made their lives as difficult as I could.

Yet, I always got away with my antics free of punishment. And so, I never had any incentive to stop.

That is, until I got caught.

It was a day like any other. I headed off to school, bleary eyed and overtired from my previous nights adventures. Once there, I met up with my friends by the water fountains, where we talked loudly and laughed obnoxiously before we eventually trudged along to our first class of the day, late as usual. I made good use of class time by making paper airplanes and passing notes to my friends- discussing only the most important of issues, our weekend plans. Lunchtime, finally. I could now hang out with my friends and not eat, but in the cafeteria instead of the classroom. Heading back to class, my friends and I decided that ditching would be a lot more fun. So we headed for the bathrooms where we planned to spend the rest of the afternoon. But we were too loud and so we were soon discovered. The principal found us mid water fight, caught wet-handed. Never in my life had I been punished as harshly as at that time. Instead of simply rejoining the class, my friends and I had to take our missed naps during playtime. And it was supposed to be my turn to use the glittery jump rope! Kindergarten is rough.

From that day on, I really turned my life around. I was then on the straight and narrow. I had done my time and was ready to move on with my life. I put away my unicorn pajamas that my parents had long been begging me not to wear out of the house anymore and I stopped creating my beautiful artistry on the walls of my house. I became a changed person.

Sometimes though, I like to reminisce about the good ol’ days. Those were some fun times. And though I am proud of the person I have become, and I am glad that I have matured since my trouble-making days, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss them.