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7 Summers

Ayslin K.


Sixteen summers have come and gone, making me the girl I am today.

I believe Belly Conklin said it best:

"Summer was what mattered.

My whole life was measured in summers.

Like I don't really begin living until June, until I'm at that beach, in that house."

Reading that for the first time hit my milkid soul like a train.

For the very first time, I truly felt seen by a character who isn't even a military brat.


Summer isn't summer without beach days and country music.

I've always dreamed of attending a Morgan Wallen concert.

Recently, one song in particular has been making a reoccurring appearance on my radio.

Listening to "7 Summers" always makes me reminisce on the summers spent all over the world.

But as I get older, summers lose the little kid spark.

You know, the spark that makes colors look more vivid, laughs more contagious, the world more magical.

Now we have to put down technology and travel to see things that give our imaginations the same spark they did when we were children.


7 summers ago, I was 9. The last year before the big One-Zero, leaving single digits behind for good.

I had just moved to the southern army base in Ft. Moore, GA, the last military base I would call home. Here's what summer looked like through my child eyes:


Summer's warmth on skin, a feeling that never fades.

Sunburns from lake days on a boat,

Lazy days that stretch on forever.

Green fields and forest creeks, a vast playground.

Endless adventures, exploration, and discovery.


Ice cream trucks and lemonade stands, sweet treats on the corner.

Fireflies that light up the trees every evening.

Crickets chirping, sunsets that paint the sky.

A magical world, full of wonder.


Running through sprinklers, feeling alive.

Chasing rain, trying to catch the impossible.

Climbing trees, scraping up knees.

Learning to fall, and getting back up again.


Summer nights, starry skies, infinite possibilities.

Giggles and whispers, secrets shared.

Sleepovers, s'mores, and stories to scare.

A childhood summer, a treasure trove of memories in a house made into a home.


Those carefree days, a nostalgic longing.

A bittersweet reminder of simplicity, joy, and freedom.

A childhood summer, a time of innocence and wonder.

A memory to hold onto, a feeling to cherish.

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