When I was 15, I was deep.
Deb at San Diego Momma's has a PROMPTuesday exercise today that interests me. Because... it's easy. She requests we describe in detail, a memory from our 15th year. I began journaling when I was 11, so I pulled two journals spanning 1981 and 1982 [when I was 15] to aid in this assignment.
Connie at The Young and The Relentless has periodically posted excerpts from her teen diaries titled "The Connie Diaries". It's both fun and uncomfortable reading her words. We've all been there.
Instead of describing one memory, I'm borrowing from Connie's idea. I'd like to share pieces of my world when I was 15...
I had a special English teacher my freshman and sophomore years in high school. He encouraged us to journal in ways I'd never thought of prior. The journals [above left] were like an accessory. The exterior appearance was important.
The first page in each journal [above right] had my favorite quotes at the time. If you're interested, click on the photograph - you should be able to read them. Simple quotes, but to me they were deep and profound. I didn't even smoke weed.
I wrote in my journals creatively, but more often than not, they simply served as a diary. I sketched, and taped pictures and articles that I thought were deep onto the pages. I REALLY wanted to be deep.
I don't know if Erma Bombeck was deep, but I was already thinking about how to be a good parent. My parents were good and loved me very much, but like many kids, I never felt understood and I developed empathy early. An empathy I projected onto my future children.
I was a runner then. Still am - well, a trotter anyway. It was a way for me to connect with Dad, also a runner at the time, and I really enjoyed the endorphins. Runner's high? It's real.
I even tried to make running deep. [See photo above left.]
Like the "Connie Diaries", I thought I would share something I wrote when I was 15. I found a few decent poems and short stories, some funny, well-documented antics with friends, and plenty of teen angst [seems to be the theme these days with that vampire stuff]. But I'd like to share what I wrote on January 5, 1981... so technically, I was only 14 1/2-years old.
The words aren't exceptional, but I want to contribute to the "Teachers Are Important And Make A Difference" campaign bucket. This is what I had to say about the memorable English teacher my freshman year.
January 5, 1981
... Mr. H. is such a neat teacher. Of all the teachers I've ever had, he makes the greatest impression on me. He influences me so easily. I look up to him and hope to be as sweet and gentle a person as he is. I can't picture him being unkind towards anyone, or giving them an unfair chance. He told us when he meets someone he always gives them the benefit of the doubt. He automatically likes them, or he assumes they are a good person, then he leaves it up to the person if they want to prove him wrong. He's a neat guy. You won't come across too many people like him. I'm glad I've had a chance to be taught by him.
Then, because I wanted to be deep, I included two quotes..
"Do not seek yourself outside yourself." Ralph Waldo Emerson
"To be great is to be misunderstood." Ralph Waldo Emerson
Followed by my OWNdeep thought.
1I wonder what it would be like to be a nun?
THE END.
1 I'm not sure what THAT was about. I'm not even Catholic.