It was during childhood, of course,
before I knew well the things that poison,
when all I knew was ecstasy granted to me through:
rays of sunlight, the shock of surprisingly warm or cool
water, jack-in-the-boxes, stories, games, tickling, candy
The happiest moment of my life happened in
the afternoon or the early evening,
summertime or early fall
I’d spent the day at my friend Jessica aka “Porky’s” house
Porky had a bunch of brothers who, after a while
got to be too much, sometimes they sounded to me like
mainstream radio — just noise.
So I exercised my freedom that day by saying goodbye and
I walked out the sliding glass door, jumped off the porch,
walked past the chicken coop and through the ditch
that led back to my house
(I lived in the country and Porky’s
house was right behind ours)
I stopped in the vacant lot
between her house and mine
I could no longer hear the boys.
I remembered how fortunate I was to not have any
brothers or sisters living with me
I stood for a moment, and just took in the world —
Jessica’s lively red house behind me
our quiet, silent as a mouse cabin just down the trail
the green mountains like God’s arms around me
Some quiet calm taking over my mind,
A feeling I recognized as the comfort of my own soul
I felt confident being alone
I looked around,
The ditch I’d just come through and the
property I was standing on was cluttered with
big, round, terracotta-colored boulders
The sunlight was hitting them from a certain angle
and they looked almost like gold, though matte, not shiny
Sunlight too was caught in the tall, pale grass that was everywhere,
I fingered the fuzzy tips of the grass as I stood there
I knew come winter the tall grass would be gone and
then in the summer fresh and green again
I remember I was wearing my purple Beauty and the Beast
t-shirt and maybe jeans and my dirty white Keds
Sheepishly, afraid someone might hear, I ever-so-quietly
sang a Disney song, imagining I was one of
those lonesome Disney Princesses,
I giddily skipped and waved my pretend gown
I was around six years old
It was the happiest moment of my life because
I had both serenity and hope,
I had
so
much
hope
MAMA BIRD 
This is beautiful, Terah. I can feel myself there with the sun on my face. I like your lightheartedness
Hi Francie,
I’m so pleased I made you feel something. This was a writing prompt from Natalie Goldberg’s Old Friend from Far Away, titled “write about the happiest moment of your life”.
“so much hope” but my childhood was different from yours in many respects, and I think probably the happiest moment of my life occurred in adulthood, when I was free and independent, able to make my own decisions without being challenged, and cozy among mountains and the laughter of waterfalls 🙂
“The laughter of the waterfalls”? Elizabeth! How..poetic! Thank you for sharing your happiest moment(s).
Thank you Terah. I guess I was kind of hurrying on here, when I stopped and turned around, and there was hope smiling at me, giving the day not a chance for a look of scorn from ‘neath her solemn bonnet.. Thanks again. David
David,
I googled but could not find the poem that you are quoting here. It sounds familiar, like something you shared at Thursday night poetry readings. But I can’t be certain…is it just something you came up with? I have heard you speak using plain modern english before, I swear it, but you’re not going to stoop that low on my WordPress page are you? Doesn’t seem like it…Are you guys still reading poetry on Thursday’s? Send my love and well wishes to Martha.
The poem is Days by Ralph Waldo Emerson, only he has the day in a fillet instead of a bonnet. As daughters and granddaughters grow more precious with time, so do Emerson’s “daughters of time” grow more precious with each passing day, especially decorated with your poetic jewels. Sieze the day and dress it up! Martha has a Kindle and we will try to download your book.
David,
Hi, its good to hear from you. A faithful reader it seems. You and Martha both I presume. Thank you. The book should be available in the next couple of days! I will let you know personally when it is.
light and a good read
Thank you Bhaskaryya!