17

17 stands on the narrow ledge of childhood. Behind lay sweet memories - Playgrounds, laughter, Bruises, scrapes, Sweet dreams, nightmares, A mother's love to chase away the monsters. Ahead is a deep chasm; You can't see the bottom. But an invisible force urges you on. You can only go forward, You can only fall over the ledge And into the crater below. Maybe life will be good at the bottom, But you have no way of knowing. All you know is that Home is behind you, Family is behind you, Youth is behind you. Adulthood is imminent. The real world is ahead, And nothing can keep it from coming. Responsibility awaits you, Loneliness awaits you, Possibility awaits you. Can't we turn back the hands of time? Can't we reverse the clock? Can't we flip the hourglass? Can't we go back to the playground? Can't we see the world through a child's eyes again? Can't we, just for a moment? No - there is only one thing to do: Face it. Dive in. Capture it. Embrace it. Live.