These I Have Loved

 These I have loved:

Late nights stretching into early mornings while out camping with friends

Fishing on a bridge with my friends, at a lake with my family

The smoky haze of a fire in the backyard

The sweet hickory smell coming from the smoker for the entire day

Coming home from practice and not seeing a Crockpot on the counter

Airsoft and water fights with my brothers in the backyard

The cool breeze of mountain air as I rush down the trail on a too-light bike

Biking on a gravel road for miles on end at sunrise in the warm summertime

Visiting Maine, going to a waterpark with my cousins

Quads on forest trails that seem to stretch across the state, from their house to town, miles

The unique smell of a hoodie passed down, which I realize mine smell like now

Hiking on trails through the deserts of Utah, up an entirely different kind of mountain

Building a fort with my friends at the fairgrounds, 4 rooms, 2 stories, a staircase, and more

Taking parts and a cart at my uncle’s house and building an entire car from parts on Easter

The smell of old books in a library or a shelf in the house

Motorcycle rides through the outskirts of Denver (my mother did NOT love this one)

Riding quads and bikes down country roads all day and night

The mixture of cologne scents in stores and the bathroom

A well-worn shirt that has stood the test of time

Skateboarding down the streets of downtown, they’re smooth and empty at midnight

The bittersweet return home from a vacation, only sweet because of my bed

Cranking over my car right at 6 am, and driving for half an hour on my birthday before one act

The sound of an engine under load, or revving in neutral

Misty mornings in springtime, fog covering the hillsides outside of town, wafting over the streets

A mildly rainy day while driving out of town with friends, the smell of rain surrounding us

The smell of stale cigarettes on my bomber jacket passed down from a late great-uncle

Fireworks explode on the fourth of July, many are not legal, but still, they fly high

This and many more, all from years gone by, yet many to come, so no need to cry

-Schrodinger's Katze