Toxicity

_{Photo by Natasha Kalsi}

By Natasha Kalsi

I dream of simpler times.

When the only competitions were 

seeing who could swing the highest at the park

and 

musical chairs at friends’ birthday parties.

When I did things because I enjoyed doing them 

and not for hearts on a screen

or a following.

Like painting with my fingers

and writing in my journal, 

after the boy I had a crush on 

just gave me his number

and I felt like I could fly.

How easy it was to live back then 

when our phones weren’t glued to our hands.

How easy it was to create and just be.

Be happy with ourselves because 

that’s who we would see at the end of the day.

We didn’t have a whole world at our fingertips – 

a blessing and a curse. 

– on social media