on Childhood

I have yet to sort out if I am into adulthood or if its still that child inside me. There is not much joy or freedom when one becomes an adult. Even juvenile courts don't entertain you and nana-nani parks are still far beyond your reach. Recently, I went to one park, got surprised; then dissapointed and finally retreated from there. There is not much one can do there. As a child, you walk home with pride after having hit a ball for a 'six' or if you kicked the hell out of your best friend and worst enemy. People praise you for finishing your 'complan'on time and singing irrelevant nursery rhymes for the hundreth time. The only thing that bothers your existence is the mountain load of homework. But then,you can fall sick, go for vacations and know that Diwali and Christmas and several other festivals exist; and not just on calendar. Childhood is also when paradisical diseases like smallpox, malaria, dyssentry, jaundice meant that your mother took you to the doctor and all the good and very good things in life come back with full force to haunt you.With several doses of tonic and pills; you took to bed comics, food, video games and forgot about the world for a while. Money is root of all evil. Even then, childhood is the age when the all knowing parents are the perfect resourceful ATM's and your uncle, aunts, granparents also serve as reserve bankers. Anything in the whole damn world was then buyable as long as it was a toy. How I now envy children-with their unending energy and their freedom. In my next birth,I'll surely start back as a child............