THE PLACE WHERE CHILDHOOD LIVES

AS A CHILD, I DREAMT OF FLYING AROUND THE WORLD IN A BALLOON LIKE THE HERO OF THE JULES VERNE NOVEL. I DREAMED, I HAD COLOURFUL DREAMS AND I WAS ALWAYS CREATING SOMETHING. I WAS A LITTLE BOY WHO WASN'T AFRAID OF ANYTHING, ONE MINUTE I WAS PETER PAN, AND THE NEXT I WAS A LITTLE PRINCE, EXPLORING THE WORLD OVER AND OVER AGAIN. AND AT THE END OF EACH DAY I WOULD RETURN TO MY WARM BED, WHICH LOOKED LIKE A BOAT AND WHICH WOULD TAKE ME TO A LAND OF FAIRY TALES AND DREAMS AS SOON AS I FELL ASLEEP. AND I WAS A LITTLE GIRL WHO LOVED EVERYTHING THAT LITTLE PRINCESSES LOVE. OF COURSE PINK, OF COURSE FLOWERS AND OF COURSE CUDDLY LITTLE KITTENS. I HAD BEAUTIFUL LONG HAIR WITH LIGHT CURLS, I PLAITED IT WITH COLOURED SILK RIBBONS AND I DREAMED, DREAMED. I DREAMT OF SWEETS, OF A LAND OF TOYS AND FLOWERS, WHERE LOVE REIGNED. EVERY NIGHT, AS I DRIFTED OFF TO SLEEP IN MY PINK BED, MY MOTHER WOULD READ ME FAIRY TALES ABOUT A PRINCE AND A PRINCESS, AND THE TERRIBLE DRAGONS THE PRINCE HAD TO DEFEAT TO BE REUNITED WITH HIS BELOVED. IT WAS ALL WONDERFUL. MY ROOM ALWAYS SMELLED OF STRAWBERRIES AND CHOCOLATE. MAYBE THAT'S WHAT ALL LITTLE GIRLS SMELL LIKE. ONE DAY WE GROW UP, BUT OUR BEDROOMS STAY IN OUR MEMORY LIKE THAT, PERFECT FOR US, IDEAL. BEDROOMS WHERE CHILDHOOD WILL ALWAYS LIVE ON.