Life's Adventures

 Blogging about life's adventures and the next book...

That's been my intention, and this year I'll make that happen. Adventures will be past, present, or future. And the next book--as it happens. I hope you'll join me this year.

When my granddaughter was bullied in school, I worried it would leave permanent impressions on her. There's no way of knowing. She seems perfectly healthy and happy now. But it got me thinking about the things that happen in early life and how long we can hang onto a diss or a compliment.

In fourth grade, a teacher used me as an example of why she always let Betty read aloud to us and no one else. She stuck me in front of the class with the book. After several minutes of my unsteady and erratic recitation, she asked me to sit down. Betty was brought back to finish the story. Could that be why I strove to excel in school? Why I made sure in later to life to be glib and outgoing in front of an audience?

In high school, one of my close male friends told me I was cute above the knees, but from the knees down, I was wasted. I avoided dresses after that and love boots to this day.

In the fifth grade, I decided my nose was too big. I declared I was going to get a nose job when I got old enough. My Uncle Dwain did his best to soothe me. He told me I had a regal Roman nose. But in the eighth grade, when talking to a male friend about high school, I stated when I started dating I'd like to date a letterman. He scoffed. He told me my nose was too big to score a letterman. That stuck with me...not what Uncle Dwain said. A side note: phooey on him--I did date a letterman. Of course I found out he wasn't any more special than other high school boys.

So, where am I going with this rambling? Life's adventures can be moments or momentous. How we treat each other, what we say to someone, can possibly affect them forever...or not. One person may crumble. Another might rebel and grow stronger, sending them on a life adventure. But we can't know which. Be careful.