The other day I was having a conversation with my brother and he was telling me about how he was going out to buy balloons for a friend’s birthday. He started complaining about how much he hated balloons. Naturally, fulfilling my role as annoying little sister, I had to say the opposite of what he was saying. As I was saying the words “balloons are the world’s greatest invention” (of course I needed to be overly sarcastic) I really began to think about the life a balloon.

For some reason, children love balloons. They have become this magical object that represents innocence. Balloons are used for a variety of things. They can fill rooms for birthday parties, promposals, and sporting events. There are weather balloons, hot air balloons, and my personal favorite, water balloons. For any age, balloons can bring joy and happiness. Here are some reasons why, if I had to be an inanimate object, I would choose to be a balloon.

As a child, I absolutely loved playing with water balloons. I have distinct memories of being at school picnics and doing relay races with water balloons. All of the kids would shriek and yell in surprise and amazement when one of the balloons would pop. It was the simplest form of amusement for little kids for a water balloon to soak someone with water. And let’s not forget the fun times of secretly bombarding people with water balloons.

While I have never had the pleasure of riding in a hot air balloon, it is most definitely on my bucket list. There is something amazing to think that one can go up into the sky in a wicker basket, in a big balloon that is being lifted into the sky because heat is making it rise. I can’t even begin to imagine the amazing views one might see in a hot air balloon.

Besides the memories and dreams that come with balloons, there is something so simplistic and special about them. Whether it’s a normal colorful balloon or one of those character balloons, they never fail to bring a smile to someone’s face. There is something freeing about watching a balloon fly away. I think back to days of being able to play outside all day without a care in the world and that’s what a balloon is. If a balloon was a person, it would be a carefree child.

The most beautiful thing about a balloon is that it can just fly away and go on an adventure. One of the best animated movies made is "UP" and of course it showcases my feelings about balloons. It reminds one that adventure doesn’t end in childhood. Adventure can be found in everyday life, even in something as simplistic as a colorful, birthday balloon. Remember, it can only go up from here.

P.S. Can you believe that all this came from an attempt at being an annoying little sister?