I'll never grow up.

Never, never, never.

I suppose all of us have that kid inside us. And there are some of us that just won't ever stop being a kid. I'm one of those people.

I read fantasy and Dr. Seuss, and I love Disney and Pixar and animated movies. My favorite snack is peanut butter right out of the jar (come on, you know you still love it.) I adore bubble baths and still find comfort in sleeping with a stuffed animal by my side. I'll always make a wish at 11:11. Space travel still exhilarates me - Mars and Saturn and Jupiter are all giant, unexplored worlds to me. I still bunch up leaves in Autumn and jump in them and watch them rain upon my head, like fluttering slivers of rainbows. And I don't care if anybody watches me and thinks, "hey, it's a nineteen year-old jumping in leaves! What a goof!"

When I was a kid, I believed in true love. Even after I watched my mom and dad get divorced when I was very young, I never stopped believing in it. I've seen my mom put a knife to my dad's throat, seen my dad call the police on my mom, seen both of them throw stuff at each other and kick walls and everything. I've seen almost all my neighbors in four different neighborhoods get divorced. I still haven't grown up. I still believe in true love.

I've waited forever for true love. And I saw, felt, smelled, tasted, and heard the voice of true love. That belief and power in true love has helped me write countless poems and stories. And being a kid has given me the strength to still believe. I've waited forever. A little longer wouldn't hurt.

I'll never grow up.