They always said that swallowed gum would live inside us for seven years.
but never warned of swallowed words—how I love you, and you hurt me, could cling beneath the ribs, long after their expiration date.
They’d say that wet hair in the winter would make us sick, but never explained how the chill of loneliness can linger.
They said with softness, ‘I love you to the moon and back’, but never shared how far love could travel without ever leaving.
We were told it was illegal to keep the overhead light on while driving.
maybe that’s why we sometimes try to dim our own light, make it more comfortable for others.
They said carrots will help see in the dark, but never told us what to eat when we can’t see a future.
It was always joked that making silly faces would freeze that way, but never explained how a smile can also become muscle memory.
They warned that picking at scabs would leave scars, but never taught how to heal wounds that lie deeper, beneath the skin.
It was known that holding a buttercup beneath your chin
could prove you liked butter,
but never told us that happiness could be as simple as a golden glow on a summer’s day.
now I know that gum dissolves,
wet hair does not summon sickness,
and the overhead light was merely distracting,
but I still throw away my gum, dry my hair before bed, and keep the light off while driving.
I hold buttercups to my chin and believe that love can travel impossible distances.
Maybe growing up isn’t changing everything we’ve been told and once believed, but letting them become gentle reminders of what shaped us. It also means learning some of these lessons on our own, as we’re no longer protected by these little white lies. We may have to weed out some that don’t serve us, but others are remnants of a whimsical way of thinking.
And maybe some stories aren't meant to be outgrown. Maybe some little beliefs
They're meant to remind us that the world once felt a little larger than reason could explain. Where little yellow flowers hold so much knowledge and nightvision is promised if we eat our vegetables.
