echoes you hear

I’m afraid to take the extra mile. When I walk onto the playground, I still see the 4 year old me hesitating to climb the half-moon climber as he’s too afraid to fall. When I cross the school gate, I still see the 6 year old me clinging onto my mother’s hand, so that she doesn’t send him to school. When I hang out with my friends, I still see the 8 year old me, sitting in one corner of the room, too shy to talk to anyone. Trying to cross that frail bridge connecting two banks of a river has never been easy for me. I’d stand for days and stare at the other end, wondering how things would be there. Perhaps, I wouldn’t be afraid to fall. Perhaps, I could let go off my mother’s hand. Perhaps, I could approach the girl I was dying to talk to.   Fast forward 18 years, and I find myself on the other side of the river. When I look back, I can see myself taking the first step- afraid to take a step forward. However, I decide to hold on. I also see myself making my way halfway a...