Where Did The Playground Go?

When asked why I like my friend’s
Kids don’t pause,
They simply say,
I like to play with them.
They help me,
and when I cry, they whisper,
Don’t cry,
and wrap me in small, honest hugs
that fix more than they know.

Their hearts carry no armor,
their kindness has no conditions,
their comfort asks for nothing back.
They give,
just because they can.

But somewhere along growing up,
we trade this tenderness for pride,
these hugs for distance,
these simple truths for complicated silences.

We start saying,
I don’t need friends,
as if independence means
learning to stand alone in storms.
Yet, as adults,
we need friends even more
ones who say,
Don’t cry, I am here,
and mean it without hesitation.

Friends who take our hands and say,
Come, let’s go out and play,
reminding us that joy
was never meant to be outgrown.
Maybe growing up
is not about losing the playground,
but finding people
who help us build it again.

Nandini