I crept up to the pedestal, and I reached out to grab the beautiful stone, gleaming crimson and turquoise and amber in the small filter of light that shone through the small fissure in the high roof of the cave. But when the tip of my finger touched the stone, a huge light enveloped the room, and then everything went black. When I opened my eyes, I saw myself just floating in a dreamscape. All there was was white- and me. Was this the end? Was I dying? Or was I already dead? I wasn’t proud of everything I’d done. I hadn’t always been the nicest person, and hadn’t always done good things.
Then, memories flashed before me. Me as a toddler, shoving someone out of my way to get to the snack table. Me as a kindergartener, sneaking outside to the playground during rest time. Me as a fourth grader, playing games on my computer when I finished a test. I had gifts- I was sharp and athletic, but I never used them to help others. Instead, I used them to bring others down to get me to the top. I wasn’t proud of my actions, but as I saw them right in front of me, I felt so much remorse and guilt that I was about to burst. Then, I wished with all my heart, that I could have a do-over. A chance to be someone else. Someone I could be proud of.
Then, I was sucked out of the dreamscape, and I knew what I had to do.
“Wake up, naptime is over!” What? I was a middle schooler, not a toddler! We didn’t have naptime! Then I looked at my hands- the chubby fingers and small hands only a toddler would have- and I slowly realized that I had gone back in time to when I was a toddler, at my first day of preschool.
“C’mon, it’s playtime.” I was placed inside a pen of sorts – one adults used to keep small children somewhat safe while they went along with their business.
“Ooof!” I turned around to see a toddler pushing another kid down. I ran towards them.
“You meanie! That’s not very nice!” Then I reached out my hand to the other kid.
“Here, let me help you up.” And that was the beginning of my new life.