The last time I was home for break I found a treasure. It was hidden in the back corner of my bedroom closet, beyond the row of dirty sneakers, past the pile of laundry, shadowed by hanging shirts.The treasure chest was actually a shoe box – on top was a layer of dust, and inside were thousands of my old baseball cards.

The cards haven’t been touched in years, but they’re still piled, alphabetized in rows by ballplayer’s last names.

As I sat Indian-style on my bedroom floor, looking at card after card, I thought back on my childhood, when I’d designate hours to organizing, collecting and trading.

Baseball cards, above wrestling figures, yo-yos and the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, were a very large part of my childhood. Sitting in my room, and re-organizing my cards used to be a quiet escape from the loud television, my big brother bullying me, and my parents ordering me to finish my chores.

It’s a decade later, and I found myself in the same place I was as a boy, and enjoying every second of shuffling through cards. It actually took me a while to realize that I sat in a room of silence – no music, no television, no disruption. Just me counting the Sammy Sosas, Derek Jeters, and Greg Madduxes.

I must have spent hours going through my cards that night, although it felt like minutes. Four o’clock in the morning had snuck up on me, and I had to re-hide the treasure back in my closet for another night, 10 years from now.

For many people, finding useless old collectibles in the back corner of closets is a chance to make a few bucks. A quick click on eBay, and I would be card-less, but hundreds of dollars richer. If I ever did give in to selling my collection, though, I wouldn’t just kiss my cards goodbye, I would also lose my connection to my childhood.

We can all use a break from being grown-ups, and the stress from classes, homework, relationships and jobs can take their toll. The best way to deal with these troubles is to let your inner child run free.