My humble collection of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles figures. I need a whole lot more!

Whether you realize it or not, time goes by at an exceedingly fast pace. 

 Some days or weeks may drag, but before you know it, you’re an “adult” in college writing a story in the last few weeks of your junior year. 

Wow.

I feel like it was just yesterday when I learned how to ride a bike, or when I received a few too many dollars from the Tooth Fairy. 

Or maybe when I was given my first Lego set. Or when I unknowingly amassed far too many Thomas the Train toys, TMNT figures and every Batman figure under the sun. 

The innocent moments of my childhood forever hold a special place in my heart. 

I don’t feel like I ever appreciated how fun life was then, or how good I had it. 

Now I look back in sadness, with little to no actual regret.  

I was a good kid, I listened to my parents and I got good grades. 

I was happy. 

And now, here I am 10 years later, wishing I could go to sleep and wake up in young me’s place. 

But shockingly, that’s not how life works.  

I feel like I always have tons of homework, I don’t sleep enough, and I’m stressed out all the time.

Oh, to be a kid again. 

Even though I can’t relive my childhood exactly, I can still make my best goddamn effort. 

What does that mean? 

It means being materialistic. 

I greatly enjoy buying things, especially things that last me more than a day. 

What exactly are these things? 

Lego stuff, TMNT figures, video games and so much more. 

You know, the items that helped to shape my childhood.  

Since being a broke college kid is an actual occurrence and not some urban legend, I’m not always able to treat myself to the latest releases of these kinds of things, but I like to do it when I can. 

I’m not a hoarder I swear. 

I just enjoy having things! 

Another thing that helps me stay in touch with my inner child is running my Instagram page. 

Since I keep my collection at my house, I can only be near it on breaks or random trips home. This leads me to stockpile posts, and since I upload once a week every week, it’s very manageable. 

I’ve been uploading content onto the Internet for over five years, with the true “beginning” of my focused posting being a direct result of COVID. Since I was home and had time to make stuff every week, the wheels started turning, and I began to take Instagram posting much more seriously. 

I’ve only missed a few weeks of posting, and I’m quite proud of how much I’ve grown already.

When one of my posts on Flickr hit 100 likes, I was so ecstatic and happy.

And now I’m getting over 1,000 likes a week. 

It’s crazy. 

It’s good to do things for yourself, even if they’re subtle and remind you of old times.

Treat yourself when you can, reward yourself. 

I promise that you deserve it, and that it will make you smile. 

And nowadays, we need those moments of bliss.