12 Throughout the Years
Maggie McGrane
Inspired by “Witch Hazel” in Braiding Sweetgrass
Summary: Anna is moving through stages of life without looking back until one day she realizes she had been wishing her life away and looks back on the people and places in her life.
Keywords: Memories, Friends, Imagination
Growing up no one talks about moving away from the places and people you call home. When you are young you wish to be older. You wish to be 14 so you can drive. You wish to be 16 so you can drive on your own. You wish to be 18 to be an adult. No one talks about wishing to turn back time to memories that last forever.
At age five Anna moves into a new neighborhood. She moved into the country with her parents. One day, she starts playing with another girl who lives across the street. Everyday Anna and Eve play. They play make believe games and use their imagination to the fullest. Somedays they are spies, teachers, and even scientists.
One day that all changes. Anna becomes older and starts hanging out with friends from school.
Anna has sleepovers with her friends, plays sports, and becomes too old to play outside with her friend Eve.
As Anna enters middle school she does not see Eve outside anymore. Eve has sleepovers with her friends, plays sports, and becomes too old to play outside with her friend Anna.
Anna enters high school. She becomes friends with all different kinds of people. She joins different clubs, sports teams, and does anything she can to not be at home because she thinks she is too old to hang out at home.
It’s graduation day. Anna is heading off to college. She is leaving the place she called home for many years behind.
Anna comes home to visit her family over the holidays and dreams about the days she used to play outside without a care in the world.
As Anna grows older she looks back and wishes she could turn back time and enjoy some of her favorite things again. She looks at the yard where she would play ball with her neighbors and wishes to go back to a time when all she cared about was when her mom was going to make her come home.
Anna looks back at the friends she made and the places she had been throughout the years and smiles with tear-filled eyes realizing she had some of the best memories without even realizing it at the time. She had longed for the days ahead, but couldn’t help but look back into the past. The people and places she called home.
