A spring morning had arrived, and the entire world was bright and fresh. A joyous feeling resonated in every heart, and if it was young, then it was sung from the lips as laughter. Off toward the distance, mountains glowed as the freshly melting snow was reflecting the sun’s glare. It was like a faraway land, out of reach. But the familiar sound of the kids playing kickball, the familiar sound of numbers being chanted by the kids playing hopscotch, and the familiar sound of the swings screeching due to age bring me back to the playground.
In my elementary school days, I was an excitable little child with an adventurous mind.
On this day, I surveyed the ground, and a melancholy feeling washed over me, for it lacked something for which I was searching.
“Where could they be?” I wondered.
I continued to scour the dirt. Nothing.
“The rollie pollies have been wiped off the face of the planet!” I cried out in disbelief.
Pill bugs, with their many legs together with plates lined across their gray backs, were adorable creatures. Somehow, to my mind, these friends were not repulsive, as most insects were, but rather cute in the way someone sees a puppy.
With an irritated sigh, I unraveled myself and readjusted my posture. My eyes squinted behind my bulky glasses. I had never looked through them so harshly for something so small as a rollie pollie, for usually these little insects were easy to find. I pulled down my glasses and looked them over, before continuing to push away weeds and grass of the sort. Yet, nothing could be found. And so, I had given up on my adventure of finding rollie pollies presently.
No less than a minute or two later, I had forgotten all about my troubles and woes. It was not because I had a more significant problem to deal with, but rather something else pushed the idea out of thought and presented a newer and grander conquest. This new interest was collecting rocks. Ultimately, there was no particular reason as to why—it was simply the simpleness of childhood. Anything can be interesting and amusing if you believe it to be.
As I examined pebbles and judged them for their beauty in the grass, I moved toward the concrete sidewalk. To illustrate, the whole elementary side of the school was a long building with classrooms on both sides. Above was a shaded roof, which covered us above when walking across the long open hallway. There was a small meadow on the other side where a chain fence peered toward a neighborhood, which was where I was previously.
Currently, I curiously studied the ground. As asphalt became concrete, and the sunlight ended and shade began due to the roof, I noticed a small divide in the concrete path—a gap in the concrete slabs. It is a wonder to me as to why I had stopped to inspect that tiny crevice. Multiple other gaps continued the path. Yet, my eyes scanned the tiny weeds and various pebbles hidden in this crevice. Nothing noticeable appeared until I realized what was inside that crevice. Oh, how much joy I felt at that moment! At that moment, I felt what an astronomer feels when they have discovered a new planet.
“Rollie pollies!” I gasped.
Now, when I walk by that inconspicuous crack, a feeling of sentiment comes over me. The end of the shade and the beginning of the sunlight above were like a light switch for playtime. However, while many children ran past to go to the playground, I would stay by that in between, for an inconspicuous gap in the pavement revealed the haven of rollie pollies. Although it may seem childish and strange, it was a magical place for my younger self. She discovered beauty in that unexpected minuscule crevice across the path.
Author’s Note:
I was always the kid who would be looking for bugs during recess—especially rollie pollies. While many likely thought it was strange of me to be doing so, it was always my favorite activity as a little child. My main message in this essay is for people to remember the small things in life, as in this busy world, we tend to overlook the hidden beauties in life amongst all the hustle and bustle. Enjoy the little things, and life becomes more beautiful.
Ancheska Balbalosa | 17 | California, USA | @cheska._.b on Instagram
