Letter To Innocence

Dear Innocence,

Where have you been?
It's been like, forever, since the last time we've seen each other.
We used to hang out a lot, you and I, remember?

I know I promised that I will never leave you behind.
But I grew older, dear Innocence, and I'm sad to say.... I forgot about you.
Us adults do that. We forget the things that mattered to us when we were children.
To survive a less-than-innocent world, we learn to be 'thick-skinned', 'street-smart', 'aware.' And with those new findings, some older ones get lost. Like our innocence. 

Dear Innocence, I catch snippets of you in moments. They're brief, but precious moments:
Like when I lick my favorite flavor of ice cream; When I play with my nephew and niece; When I stare at a newborn's eyes staring back at me with their innocence in full bloom; When l hear certain music. Folky music that seem to belong to a more innocent time, Like The Beatles. Or Simon & Garfunkel. Or Don McLean; I feel you with me when I rollerblade; And when I eat french toast, or blintzes, or a bar of Toblerone; I meet you in my dreams, my favorite dreams actually. The ones when I fly and soar so high, I wake up invigorated; I notice you when I cuddle with my love, and press my head against his chest, to feel his beating heart; I remember you in the mornings when I catch a ray of light shining through the window, and when I feel the warm sun on my skin; I feel you when the rain drops. Especially with the first rain of winter. A sight that makes me smile so big, like how I did when I was little. Back when you were with me all the time. Back when I had no worries in the world, because I had YOU.

I miss you, Innocence. 
I've grown up, and left you behind. I've grown sharper, darker, smarter, grittier.... like the rest of us 'functioning adults' (Yuck! Even writing that makes me nauseous), and left my dear ole' little innocence, behind. And now here we are: I am longing for your return, while you punish me with your absence. 

How long, until you grace us with your presence?
Wondering for me, and also for the entire world.
You see, we could all use more innocence these days.

Patiently yours,

Moi.

*ART: 'Innocence' by Tanya Eliasov