Close your eyes.
Take a slow breath in.
And gently breathe out.
Allow yourself to settle in as you step back into the early 2000s.
Your bedroom is filled with colorful posters,
A desk covered in gel pens,
Sticker-covered notebooks,
And a stack of magazines.
Take another slow breath.
A portable music player sits nearby with a collection of burned CDs.
You flip through them,
Choosing the perfect playlist for the day.
Your phone flips open.
A new message waits.
You smile,
Close it,
And get ready to go.
You pull on your favorite jeans,
A layered shirt,
And a hoodie before heading out.
Take a deep breath in.
And slowly let it go.
Outside,
Friends are waiting.
Bikes line the driveway.
And someone rings the doorbell.
Plans are made in seconds.
The afternoon takes you to the mall.
Bright store signs glow overhead.
The food court is packed with friends sharing fries and laughing.
The arcade lights flash.
A photo booth waits nearby as everyone squeezes together,
Making funny faces and collecting a strip of pictures to keep.
Take another breath.
You walk around with a shopping bag in hand.
Wearing new accessories and carrying little treasures you picked up along the way.
Back home,
A disposable camera sits on your desk waiting to be developed.
You hear the computer startup.
The familiar sounds of connecting to the internet fill the room as you sign on and see your friends appear.
The evening is spent listening to music,
Playing games,
Talking for hours,
And planning the next adventure.
Take one final slow breath in.
And breathe out.
Remember.
The flip phones.
The burned CDs.
The mall trips.
The sleepovers.
The colorful clothes.
The handwritten notes.
The photos you had to wait for.
The early 2000s.
A time of bright colors,
Big personalities,
And memories that feel close.
When you're ready,
Open your eyes.
