I'm standing inside you ... the warmth that i used to get from you is now gone. The powerful sensation you used to bring by just being in your presence is now more like a dull roaring sense of loneliness and failure.
The smell of your halls, the sounds that echo off your walls takes me back to the days when I didn't know failure. I didn't know regret. I didn't know heartache; what it felt like to have a broken heart nor what it felt like to break a heart. I didn't know the pain of losing a friend to an untimely death or what low places misery can find company in. No, the last time I was inside of you I was invincible. Nothing could bring me down. No mountain too high .. no river too deep. You were my springboard to life and boy was I ready to jump!!
Entering you now years later as my child crosses the starting line to the next four years of her life leaves me no choice but to reflect back to our relationship which has left me cold. Entering your door again should be blissful, a blessing, a joy but sadly I find none of that. I find bitterness, sadness and that feeling you get right before you throw-up. I pray you are kinder to my daughter than you were to me. I pray that you keep her free from the heartaches that I endured while inside you. I pray that you are gentle and guide her to the right group of friends who treat her right and in turn she treats right. I pray you let her belong to a group but to not blend so much she loses herself into what everyone thinks she should be. I pray you let her have my strength and courage yet you give a part of you that will bring her only happy memories of your relationship together.
Yes .. you bring lots of happy memories to most of those that come back to you years later .. but I, dear High School, have no happy feelings to report rather I beg that you spare my child from the hard endeavors you and I had. You and I had our hard times .. please let history not repeat itself.
(PS - please keep all cute senior ROTC boys far off her path, thank you)
