And it all comes down to this, a kid looks back at the empty shelves of toys that once where his world of fantasies, and they are now just traces that enhance the beauty of growing up and knowing that new responsibilities are about to come. Eight years ago, there was a kid full of dreams, desires and adventures that now seemed vanished. The news of moving to the unknown, leaving everything behind, felt as if the world was about to end. He would have never imagined however, that the news that once seemed as turning the world upside down, were the most rewarding ones of his life.

At that moment, the only worry imaginable was to embark on a new adventure of medieval times and castles, dragons and knights, and conquer the fears and insecurities of going on stage solo. The expectations of life did not surpass the dreams that his parents or society had for him, like studying a career that even though it would have been easier, it would not have fulfilled his desires. His life was a movie that had already been written, with no possibilities of excitement or adventure. That shelf of toys was his only way out of this life, the only time he was able to travel into his dreams and be part of something he would never be; something that until eight years ago he thought to be impossible.

His adventures came crumbling down when the words “We are moving out of the country” shattered his world. Seven words that took away any hope or dream left, seven words that tossed away the toys from the shelves into a bottomless pit, seven words that took away his breath. Adventures turned into responsibilities, turning this kid into me: someone capable of conquering games but now faced with real challenges. Until today I can feel the cold of my tears coming down as I said goodbye to my grandma, a cold that was quickly warmed by the surprisingly new adventure I was going to live.

Today, standing in front of the empty shelf of toys took me back eight years. Little by little, the shelf was not full of toys anymore, but full of dreams; full of new adventures I never thought possible, that had me as the hero. The shelf of toys that once was my escape became my vault full of challenges and missions I was now able to defeat. As I moved to a new country, a new school, to a new life, I felt as the Jay Gatsby of my own novel. As someone living his own dreams that once were thought as impossible. Today, after eight years, standing in front of what once was my world of fantasies, I understood one thing. Life is an adventure, an adventure that we build as we pursue our dreams no matter where we are or where we go. My new home taught me that there are no frontiers if you dream, that there are no limitations as a shelf of toys, you are your own hero.