Jessica Ralph

Jaida Ralph lifts her arms while riding the swings at the South Florida Fair to get a roller coaster effect.

A few nights ago, I experienced the most highbrow event of my life. I was sitting in my room when opportunity didn’t knock, but rather burst through the doors and thrust itself upon me. I was given a small folded piece of paper that read “VIP ticket”. No information. No date or time or what this ticket was even for, but I was intrigued.

A few hours later, my 7-year-old niece, Jaida, opened the door and shouted through a mega phone “it is time!” She led me to the “VIP” section of my living room (the leather couch instead of the recliner chairs) and told me the show would begin soon. Moments later she came back out, Kidz Bop microphone in hand and recited this monologue: “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to the show! Get ready for a night you won’t ever forget. Now give a warm welcome for the amazing, the spectacular… Fuzzypants the Owl!”

I instinctively rose to my feet and began clapping, though as far as I was concerned, Jaida didn’t have a pet owl. The only pet she ever had was a fish that died. The lights dimmed and songs from the “Frozen” soundtrack began to play. I felt more and more enlightened by the second. Around the hallway, Jaida waltzed towards me, holding a stuffed owl sporting baby doll clothes, sunglasses, jewelry and makeup. I was in awe. To my right, my mom played paparazzi with her phone and I suddenly realized where I was. I was at an owl fashion show, and it was the best night of my life.

Fuzzypants rocked the makeshift runway three more times before making her grand exit. Though not everyone would consider this the most enriching experience, I realized something in between the cheesy introduction and peculiarity of the event. It wasn’t that my family is weird, but that our childhood is so incredibly special. I’ve always been a future-driven person, focusing on what I have to do to get to where I want to be. Some would say I grew up at a young age and looking back, I would agree. I feel that by being so goal-oriented, I missed out on a lot of the beautiful moments that come from living a youthful life. There is something so pure and majestic about the innocence and joy that is the younger life.

As I approach the landmark event of graduation, I look back on my childhood and feel not only nostalgic, but slightly mournful. I’ve spent so much of my time racing through what is considered the best years of my life, focusing on the end goal. I lived for the destination, not the journey, and I deeply regret this now. Though this sounds extremely melodramatic, I have Jaida to live through vicariously and take part in playing house, basketball games and owl fashion shows.