A tribute to childhood

Today I am writing about a very serious issue. It affects many of the students on campus, and it may be depressing. If you canít handle the truth, look away now because the fact is: Weíre growing up. We know the truth about Santa, we have to read books without pictures, and (most of us) understand that cooties don’t exist. Those parts of our youth are gone.

But no matter how much we’ve grown and matured, some things don’t have to change. Enjoy an episode of “Blue’s Clues” or “Arthur.” Go build a fort out of the sofa cushions—what else would they be used for, anyway? Getting older doesn’t mean you have to stop loving the things you did as a kid. It just means you get wrinkles.

If you have truly grown out of your childhood loves, at the very least you can cherish the memories you have. Set it down. Keep going with your life. Just remember that you can revisit it any time. Adulthood is coming, but childhood friends are always there for you.

My childhood friend

I expect a certain level of respect and somberness when it comes to him. There will be no jokes. There will be no innuendos. My friend, and yours, had grown up with us for many of our best years. Today is the day we can remember him fondly, our beloved Pokemon.

Some of you may be thinking, “What do you mean ‘remember’ Pokemon?! It just aired an episode on Nov. 6…Not that I would know, of course'” Regardless, after 12 years since his start in the U.S., many of us and Pokemon have gone our separate ways.

As for me, it was inevitable that he and I would become so close. He was a Japanese television show with weird animals and bright colors. I was an Asian child. What can I say except that I knew it was my destiny?

I still remember the early days of our friendship. I could wake up every Saturday morning with the promise that he would be waiting for me, right on schedule. There were only 151 Pokemon, the goal was to catch them all, and he was always by my side in a world we had to defend.

Going our seperate ways

But after a few years, something happened between the two of us. We didn’t like the same things anymore. He didn’t understand my new friendship with the outdoors and, let’s face it, real people. As for me, there was no place in my world for a microwave Pokemon (heat Rotom) or an ice cream Pokemon (Baniricchi); mix them together to get a puddle Pokemon.

I want to know that my friend is remembered, and remembered well. Sure, he wasn’t perfect. Pokemon had faults from the start, but I could look past them to see the good in him. So there were aspects of forced animal fights. Yeah, there are ethical issues with the suspected human cloning of Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy, but any show that has success for children who drop out of school by the fourth grade is perfectly fine with me. Pokemon gave us the drive to be the very best, like no one ever was.

Let us keep the wisdom he taught us: keeping trying no matter how many times you lose; save your work in case you must start over; be careful walking in the grass.

No matter what problems we had in the past, I must take this moment to celebrate the good times of our life together. Pokemon, I will always choose you.