The Evanescence of Youth

 I remember how often I wasreminded as a childhow fleeting youth can be,how the time would pass quickly by,and I’d be a grown-up before I knew it.My parents would admonish meto go out and play and be carefreefor that kind of youthful freedom,the glory and liberty of naiveté,would not last forever.But it’s a requisite part of childhoodto want to grow up fast.Practically every little girl I knewsavored the momentsshe was allowed to raidher mother’s closet and play dress-up.Some of my most cherished memoriesfrom my girlhoodare of my sisters and Iteetering around in heels too highand puckering our lips at the mirroras we drew on cherry red lipstick.I recently visited Erie,a Pennsylvania citythat sits on the Great Lakesand holds many splendid memories from my youth,where I had the pleasure of photographingmy best friend’s niece.Watching her twirl about the yardin her pink plastic high heelsand race back and forthfrom the house to the patioin a parade of her favorite dresses,a familiar ache resurfaced.The days of yearning to be older,of longing to wear makeup and fancy gowns,the tall dreams of living in a big city,the imagined glitz and glamourcame flooding back.It reminded me how evanescentthe idle days of youth are,how delicate the line betweenadolescence and adulthood really is,how you never really knowthat you’ve crossed ituntil you do.