Letter To My Past Self

What Am I Missing?

A/N: Wrote this poem about Cochlear Implants in tenth grade for my English teacher and it's one of my best poems.

What Am I Missing?

The sun was out and it prickled my skin.

The sky was blazing blue and not a cloud in sight.

The ground shook from the speakers blasting Death Cab for Cutie.

The water around my waist was cold, sending goose bumps up my arms.

My friends were around me, and opposite the net, glaring at me competitively.

The ball was midair, only for a moment,

Then it came hurdling down to earth,

Right towards me.

I leaped in the air, the water still clinging to my skin.

And I spiked it to the other side.

The painful sting of the ball tingled in my hand.

My team cheered and picked me up.

They tossed me into the water,

As I laughed and smiled.

The picture seemed perfect.

Until the whole world started to shake.

I felt myself being plunged into the icy water.

It shocked my skin into numbness

And my lungs tightened as I gasped for air.

I fought my way up to the surface.

I felt the warm blanket engulfing me as I struggled to get it off.

Little slits of light grew into a full panoramic view of my ceiling.

I looked for the source of the earthquake and hit my hand painfully on the machine.

I turned on the light and cowered away

As it burned my eyes.

I cautiously open my eyes and I saw

My mom walk in, her beautiful smile brightening up the room,

She sat on my bed and kissed my cheek tenderly.

I gave her a tired hug and escaped to the other side of my soft bed.

I closed my eyes, trying to go back to the peaceful slumber.

I felt a hand lie on my shoulder and shake me.

I peeked through my eyelids and saw my mom's lips form, "Good morning."

I grumbled it back to her and closed my eyes again.

She shook me harder and peeled down the bed sheets.

The cold air slapped me awake and I moaned.

I curled up into a ball and sighed as I felt my back crack.

I got out reluctantly and threw on sweatpants quickly, recapturing the warmth.

I made the left side of the bed as my mom made the other.

I tell her that I love her and put on slippers.

I turn on my bathroom lights, then the fan.

I strip down and turn on the water.

I watched the water fall in streams down to the drain before I put my hand in it.

It was already hot and I stepped in.

I sighed as the hot water poured over me and relaxed my shoulder muscles.

I closed my eyes and reached out to the containers.

I slowly lather the shampoo and conditioner in my hair

And I smiled as the vanilla scent took over.

I rinsed it out and I opened my eyes for one last look at the showerhead.

I turned the faucet off and stepped out.

The cold air engulfed me, making me shiver and tremble.

I quickly grabbed the soft towel and wrapped it around me.

I squeezed out my soaking, cold, wet hair

And watched it form dark shapes on the towel on the floor.

I grabbed my hairbrush and brushed my tangled hair out.

I watch as the bottoms of my hair curled.

I turned off the lights and the fan.

I stood for a moment in the darkness and I grabbed the cold door handle.

I walked out of the bathroom and inhaled the aroma of

My chocolate chip waffles that made my stomach rumble.

I grabbed my clothes off the floor and quickly threw them on.

What am I missing?

I looked in the mirror at my hastily thrown on clothes and my wet curly hair.

I reached out in front of me and grabbed the last pieces of the puzzle.

I carefully put them on,

And gasped as if the whole world suddenly gotten brighter.

I heard my mom's sweet soprano voice mixing in

With my dad's booming bass of a voice.

I grinned to myself as I walked towards breakfast.

As I ate the sweet, melted, warm, tasty waffles,

I listened closely to the music of everyday,

The rumbling of the dishwasher,

The birds singing outside,

My mom talking to me,

My dad laughing at the television,

My dog's loud nails scampering across the wooden floor,

The cat meowing and scratching the furniture,

The sound of my fork against the plate,

It is such a beautiful melody.