The Other Universe Where Nothing Bad Happened – A Reflection on Lost Innocence

Explore a heartfelt reflection on childhood innocence and the untouched world of a 12-year-old, where endless possibilities abound

In another universe, my window is open. The curtains sway gently with the evening breeze, and the golden light of the setting sun spills into my bedroom, painting soft patterns on the walls. I am lying on the floor, arms stretched out, staring at the ceiling as if it holds the answers to all the questions I haven't yet learned to ask.  

I am 12 years old. My heart is light, untouched by sorrow. My world is still a place of wonder, where the biggest worries are unfinished homework and the occasional scraped knee. The air smells like freshly cut grass and the promise of summer, and everything feels infinite—like I have all the time in the world to figure things out.  

Nothing bad has happened to me yet.  

I don't know the weight of heartbreak, the sting of betrayal, or the slow ache of growing apart from people I once thought I’d know forever. I haven’t yet learned that sometimes, no matter how much love you give, people leave. That there are moments in life when the world stops making sense, and no amount of wishing can take you back to the time before.  

In this other universe, I don’t know what it’s like to stay up at night, staring at my phone, re-reading old conversations with people who have become strangers. I haven’t yet had to fake a smile when someone asks, “Are you okay?” I haven't yet understood that the world can be sharp, unforgiving, and sometimes cruel.  

In this universe—the one where I am writing this—I know all of these things. I carry the weight of experiences that changed me in ways I never expected. The innocence I once had is now just a memory, a distant dream of a child who didn’t yet understand that some doors, once closed, never reopen.  

And yet, sometimes, I still like to imagine that other universe. The one where my window is open, and I am 12 years old, untouched by sorrow. Where the world is still soft, still kind, still full of endless possibilities.  

I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and for just a moment—I let myself believe I am still there.