by Anna Schipper

My favorite color is yellow, I say, just like the bright sun shining in your eyes. It’s a happy color, I go on, the color of my childhood. That is my childhood. Yellow. Bright. Happy.

The traditions my family has makes it yellow. Special places we go. Fun things we do. Time we spend with each other. All make my childhood the color yellow.

One of the many traditions is getting a cut-your-own real Christmas tree. Saw. Back. Forth. Timber! We yell. Evergreen smell in your living room. Decorating it with ornaments. Putting lights and garland around it. Angel on the very top. Reach higher!

How long is the Mackinac Bridge? I ask. Five miles, my dad replies. That is where we take lots of our vacations. A favorite place. Many times we went to Mackinac Island. There are horses there. Lots of horses. Smelly horses. Bikes. Grand Hotel. Mackinac.

Birthdays are also very special. Grandpa and Grandma say Happy Birthday! Mom and Dad say Happy Birthday! Good times. Presents. Cake. Ice-cream. Warm chocolate cake, cold mint-chocolate-chip ice-cream with chocolate syrup melting in your mouth. Birthdays are always fun!

My mom and dad made my childhood yellow too. Mom and dad were always so understanding and loving. There really made being a kid more fun and still do!