Choosing to Remain Open

      I was going through some old photo albums yesterday when I came across the original copies of the two school assignments you see posted above. Just about 2 months shy of my 12th birthday, I had been given these assignments to complete in an English class. In the first assignment, there was a sentence that was provided in which the students had to creatively expand upon. 

The original sentence was: 

     "If I had a shovel, a book, a doughnut, a red handkerchief, a whistle, and an extra pair of boots, I would?" 

My response was: 

"I know were every thing is

     If I had a shovel, I would dig a hole. If I had a book, I would put it in the hole. If I had a doughnut, I would eat it. If I had a red handkerchief, whistle, and an extra pair of boots, I would put them in the hole and cover them up with dirt thise way I would no were every thing was if I needed it."

     In the second assignment, it would seem the students were just supposed to write a brief creative paragraph. I chose to write about something that was partially true. There was a man named C.W. Gorden, and he did turn an area of land into a mobile home park where my family and I had lived for a couple of years. It was located in St. Augustine, FL. Below is what I wrote for that assignment.

     "One day about five years agow there was a man by the name of C.W. Gorden. He found a park that was nothing but quicksand at the time. But her made it into a park for mobilehomes. It would have been a great place if it hadn't been for someone wanting to open the frount door and found out that thay were under ground. So he made it a better place to live in"

     As I read over these two assignments, I can't help but smile to myself as I take note of the somewhat lack of creativity (and the penmanship) of the eleven-year-old I once was. Creativity seems to have given way to logical thinking. I am sure that at that time in my life, I struggled to find something "creative" to write about. I am certain that at that time in my life, I was more focused on getting an "M" on my assignments (which represented a passing grade), then I was on allowing myself to be the conduit for something outside of, and greater then myself, to flow through. 

     How could I have known all those years ago how my passion for writing would one day blossom? How could I have known all those years ago that I would one day have lived enough of life to have garnered the life experiences that make my writing relatable to you, the reader? How could I have known all those years ago that I would one day find the confidence and sense of self-worth which enables me to be vulnerable enough as the adult I am today, to share my writings with you? 

     The point is, I couldn't have! I just chose to do it anyway. I kept putting one foot in front of the other, even when I didn't want to. I kept living life, even when I thought I didn't want to. I kept allowing myself to be open to the experiences that came my way, even when they hurt and I didn't want to. I kept allowing myself to remain open to the lessons that make up, LIFE! 

     I remain observant of what is happening around me. I remain observant to what is happening within me...within my mind...within my heart...within my SOUL! And through that process, I have allowed myself to remain open to the words which choose to flow through me. May you do the same.

Always,

T.J.