Monday, July 27, 2009

Hellooooo, Past Self!

I promise to write about our family's epic camping adventure sometime soon. There's drama and rain and more rain and emergency trips to the in-law's house. I assure you, it'll be action packed! (Don't worry, it has a happy ending.) But as I settle back into a "normal" type week, I'm opting for a little shorter topic to tackle.

My parents were visiting us this weekend and are preparing to move out of a house that they've lived in for twenty odd years. For some reason they didn't want to move all of my college and high school crapola that I left there. Shocker! So they brought it in big ol' boxes to my house.

Among the old work uniforms, prom dresses, and ugly camp art were many, many papers I had written in high school. I don't know why my teenage self thought to keep ALL of them, but there they were. It was a little strange reading through them and getting re-acquainted with my teenage self. I noticed:
A. I was a little less angsty and more well adjusted than I remember.
B. I wrote exactly how I think and speak unless it HAD to be formal...that hasn't changed a bit!
C. I was rather candid...what high school English teachers are forced to put up with! Yikes!
D. I think I was born kind of an old spirit. Does that make sense? Either that or I haven't changed all that much in 15 years.

So, would you like a taste of 14 year-old freshmen Beth? I am semi-prophetic here on some things...but I am happy to report that I was wrong on some things, too. Even though I'm a "busy" adult, I still find the time to write now and again. The creative spirit does not die with adulthood...in fact, it grows and has more material to work with! ;)



Seize the Day While You Can: A High School English Assignment

When I am an adult, I will long to write poetry,
But I will be busy with a career,
And responsibility,
And a family.
I will be on my aching feet all day long.
Wiping runny noses,
Running errands,
Cooking semi-culinary delights.
All the time longing to be creative.

Yes, you can drive as an adult, and make money too.
You can watch your children grow, and build stronger friendships.
But sometimes life gets dull and routine,
And you will want to write a poem, but won't have the time.

Now we must write poems, assigned for Wednesday or Thursday,
Although we would much rather be out driving or making money.
But write while you can.
In a few years the chance will be gone.
And adults can never be children again.

7 comments:

katdish said...

That's Amazing! That is pretty spot on, no?

You haven't changed much. You are an old soul with a playful spirit. Don't go changing...

Helen said...

What a mature outlook you had!

sherri said...

wow! I'm impressed. You were a bit of a prophetess!

Smart old soul, I would say.

I predicted the end of the world to be in 1988 -back when I was a senior in '82 (it ran as an article in the school newspaper. Scared the whole school to death!) I still have that somewhere... obviously, I am NOT a prophetess.

Peter P said...

"And Adults can never be children again."

That is the thing I get saddest about.

Great post. Thank you!

Candy said...

Definitely prophetic, right down the runny noses. I'm glad my stuff was eaten by mice in a storage shed. I was never that mature (nor am I yet)!

Candy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

I still have papers/writing from jr. high school all the way through college! Couldn't give you a reason why except I poured myself into them and was always proud of my efforts. I've enjoyed your blog this evening, very much!


Great poem and I would agree with the others - old soul.