Note to My 6 Year-Old Self

You are bold and loud.
You speak your mind freely and easily.
Like sugar cane, you are sweet and pure and good.
Your skin is dark like azobe wood and
Your spirit warm like tropical mornings.
You give and accept love with an open heart
Because you haven't learned to build walls yet.
A few short years ago,
Life welcomed you to her shores,
And life is kinder to her new immigrants.
I wanted to send you this note because even though the boy's body
Will grow into the man's experience,
The inner child stays young forever, so...
Play.
Make believe.
Sing and dance.
Climb trees and pick mangos and guavas.
Eat cherries and drink coconut water,
And even though you are growing taller,
Don't slouch down to the level of those shorter
Than you, invite them to stand as tall as they can.

Run the streets barefoot with those stray dogs,
And yes go on and touch one of the cows grazing
In the field across from your grandmother's house.
Even though you'll be butted away,
Touch and find out something new about
Life in a form that looks different from you.
Your time here on earth is meant to be fruitful and joyful.
You understand this now,
But too many forget joy as the years rush on by.
I suspect you will too.
Life offers many alternatives to joy,
So don't be in such a hurry to grow up.
Slow down, the decades will run by fast enough,
Bringing with their passing falls and bruises and tears.
Accept this gift of childhood now and play.
Cherish this spell of innocence and play.
Play and wander and question.
This is the blueprint,
This is your template for happiness and freedom.
In the coming years, when life begins to show you his ugly prejudices,
You will need to recreate these feelings of softness to make it
Through those difficult times,
You will need to recall and recollect...
This sensation is delight,
This pleasure is laughter, this sensitivity is love.