We would say things like
Sticks and stones may break my bones
But words will never hurt me

What we meant was
We would for the most part be able to handle surface level comments
But anything further would cut deep
Pull in our hearts
And change the way we view the world and ourselves

We would say things like
That's my name
Don't wear it out

What we meant was
We want you to notice us
We want you to remember who we are
We want your attention
But not too much of it
Because we don't know what to do with people who love outside of obligation

We would say things like
We can't wait to grow up
To be bigger and older

What we meant was
We wanted to feel important
Significant
Like we were somehow making an impact
We wanted freedom and independence
But still to be protected from the hurt that we had not yet experienced

In our innocence
We were ignorant
Wanting things we could not have
We set our eyes too searchingly on the future
Which kept us from fully experiencing our present

We were unaware that in our diminutive hands
We held onto things that we would later lose
Unaware that when they are gone is when we will want them
But by then they will have become what we can not have