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| Most kids at my school take Driver's Ed when they're sophomores and have their licenses when they've completed fifty hours of driving with a parental unit or guardian. Now, my friends are good drivers, but do my parents see that? Of course not. My boyfriend, Dan, is a 19-year-old licensed driver. He has his own car, a steady job, and takes me out on occasion. When I asked my parents if I could go up to Racine, WI with him to see his friend's talent show, my mother replied with "No, your dad and I don't like you driving around with these young drivers all the time." When I asked my dad, he said more of the same. My mother's logic on this is terrible. Now, I'm not sure if she just doesn't like Dan, or if she's punishing me or something because she refuses to tell me and she also won't let me out with my other friends who drive. It's true, several drivers are reckless, but that's not just teens. There are stupid ADULT drivers out there as well. My own older brother, who is 24, is extremely careless. He speeds when he feels like it, forgets his license at home and drives without it sometimes, leaves putting his city sticker on, paying a ticket, or filling up his gas tank to the last moment, and ehas even been known to drive under the influence on occasion. My parents trust HIM to drive me around, sure, no problem. But when I ask to go somewhere with a safe, dependable driver, whom I trust with more than my life, the answer is no. In my opinion, in order to become a better driver, you need to practice. In order to become a dependable ADULT driver, you need to practice as a TEEN driver. Now, doesn't that make sense?
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To Write Love on Her Arms is a very inspiring cause. I myself have never had a self-injury problem, or any addictions, but I know people who have. There have been over five suicides at my high school in the past three years, and several attempts, I'm sure. That's way too many. Every quarter, there's a lady who comes to talk about suicide to the kids. The kids make fun of it and often pretend to be "emo" and slit their wrists, and that makes me very sad to see that people don't take it as seriously as they should. TWLOHA lets me tell people that there's ALWAYS someone out there who understands what they're going through and there's ALWAYS someone who can help. This story is truly inspiring, and I hope that everyone in the world will listen to it.
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| People get stuck in moments. Hearts break and don't fix easy. Love is nothing easy. It is not cheap. It is the greatest thing that happens on this planet, and so it comes priced as gold. One of my best friends used to sing the words "love is war". There is the fight for holding on. And the fight for letting go. The hardest thing i have ever experienced is the learning which and when. But i still say it's worth it, that love is real and possible. There are things worth fighting for, and love is at the top of the list... | | |
| I always envied the fact that Jeanie was so close her family. The fact that I would never have that kind of relationship with Ethan, my own older brother by 8 years, always bothered me, but just bothered me more when I met her family and got to see how close they all were. I know Priscie and Jeanie always say how they weren't always this close and etc. etc., but still, y'know?
Then they all accepted me into their family as another sister, and suddenly, I had a whole other family. I could talk to them about anything. They were the siblings I never had. Jeanie was there to be silly on late nights with, Priscie were there to be emotional and understanding with, Gemita was there to roll her eyes at us and help me with things I didn't understand, Logan and Juliette were there for me to be five years old with again and teach. And Mami and Papi took care of us all.
It always felt right. 12 years of not knowing any different then what I had at home. My parents didn't get it. But when I was accepted into their family, I knew I found my missing piece. They were the big family I had always wanted. I could never hug Ethan when I was sad, he'd just tell me I was disgusting and to get off of him.Though I recently learned that this WAS his way of affection towards me, I always wanted more. I wanted it straight out, not inadvertently.
They each changed me in such a drastic way. I am such a completely different person because of the way that each of them afftected me. Whether it be by the ways I dress and speak, or the way I think about everything in general. Either way, they have each changed me.
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Priscilla--I used to be scolded for wanting to help in the kitchen. I mean, let's face it, I am just a bull in a china shop, and I don't pay attention to some of the things that I do. I could never help with anything. But you had such patience, Pip. You let me watch you while you put on your Great-Grandma apron and went cake-crazy. I can actually bake a cake now. I never could before. I didn't even know what a cake consisted of really. This doesn't seem like much, but the fact that you had the patience to show me, instead of pushing me away, meant a lot to me. When I couldn't talk to Jeanie about something, I could always come to you. You always appreciated my writing
Jeanie--You know what you did for me. You were the best younger-big sister I ever had. I got myself into such predicaments. Relationships, white lies, my violent ways, etc. Normally, any friend I had would look at me like I was an idiot, but you, you just shook your head and wondered what the hell you were gonna do with me. You loved me and all the insanity inside of me. You called me your very best friend. You called me your sister. We have hilarious inside jokes and done just about everything together. I play DDR and read manga because of you. We've been through the best times--voice lessons, show choir, sleepovers, Holidays, etc, and the worst times--bad heartbreaks, bad grades, parentals controlling us, etc. We always pulled through. It saddens me that we can't pull through our worst problem ever.
Gema--We were never really that close, but when it came down to it, you were always there. When I was cramming for my Platoon Drill Test for OCS, you went over it until I understood it. When "The Last Five Years" or "Wicked" came on, all of us--Jeanie, Me, Priscie, You, Kiwi--sang obnoxiously and loved every second of it. When you left for college, I had just been getting close to you, and it makes me sad that I may never have the chance to get close to you again. But I promise, when my kids are behaving badly, I'll be sending them to Tia Mita's for punishment. (:
Logan and Juliette--I was always the youngest. It had it's ups and downs, but a lot of times, your sisters would be unfair to you, and I would stand up for you because I knew Ethan treated me similar.Your sisters love you so much and you are so lucky that they give you all the love and care that you need. I would give anything to have Ethan take a few classes from your sisters. I remember when Logan-love was sick and he kept shitting his pants every five minutes, everyone in the room would groan and put the chore of changing the diaper on each other. I got up and was just so happy to do it. I was just thrilled to change your shitty diaper. I remember teaching you to say "Te Amo" and attempting to get you to say Elanna and how we ended up with LaLan instead. I remember teaching Juliette to wash her own hair in the bathtub and helping you read story after story.When you came to Choir concerts for me and Jeanie, Jeanie would get so jealous when you came to me and then people asked if you were MY little sister. If nobody else was happy to see me, you two were. If I didn't get a cheerful "LALAAAAN!!!!!!!" when I walked into your house, I'd be almost sad. You were the little brother and sister I never had. I love you two so so much. Don't ever forget that.
Mami and Papi--If I couldn't tell my own parents something I could always count on being able to talk to you two. Papi: "What the hell's the matter with you?" Mami: "Que pasa, hija?" You were truly my other set of parents. You treated me like a daughter, and after the first 50 visits, finally allowed me to help with cleaning things up.You gave me clothes, food, and a place to stay when I needed it. I remember when Abuelo came for the first time, you introduced me as Papi's daughter. No matter what, I will never forget you.
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So, this may not mean much to anyone else besides Priscilla, but this was something I desperately needed to get off my chest. Haven't you ever had a friend that seemed more like your sister/brother? Have you ever gotten in a fight with them and regretted it immediately? Jeanie was my siste by what matters; Love. My blood relatives don't care about me and the rest of my family. These are people I would die for. No matter what Jeanie is mad at me for--disagreements, boys, whatever--I will never forget anything that ever happened with us. Isn't that what really matters?
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