Well folks we are one week into the new school year for Wesley and counting down to the start of classes for Brien at college. Time has absolutely flown by and my babies are practically men now.
My sweet cousin-in-law Julie recently posted about the difficulties she’s having with watching her son, Sam, grow-up so quickly. I can so completely understand her feelings.
As I sat at freshman convocation on Saturday, I was overwhelmed with memories of Brien as a baby, toddler, little boy and tried to take in what and who he is now. It’s been an emotional week and when I get emotional, I get really observant and I people watch.
A few days ago I saw some girls at the high school, while I was waiting for Wes to finish soccer practice, who were obviously in the middle of a terribly important discussion. The high school and the Jr. High are right next door to each other so I’m not sure if they were Jr. or High School students. They were about fourteen, totally into their conversation except for the occasional necessity of reading a text message or replying to one. I couldn’t help but think about when I was their age, and really, I shudder a little bit when I remember the sheer awkwardness that was the hallmark of my early teenage years. The braces, the frizzy hair, the utter lack of confidence around those alien creatures called boys – just about all of it makes me cringe.
Of course, like so many teenage girls, I thought that I knew it all, thought that I was covered in coolness, but in retrospect I was completely naïve and overly earnest and annoyingly self-absorbed. Actually, unbeknownst to me, I was a nerdy version of a drama queen: even though I was well-aware of all the gossip and “scandal” at our junior high and high school, I only stayed involved in that stuff for about five minutes before I retreated into my Piles Of Books. Honestly, who needed junior high drama when the sophisticated, self-assured girls in the Sweet Valley High novels were dealing with, like, MA-JOR stuff?
I mean, GAH!
I can’t tell you how many 1980-something nights I sat in my bedroom with my hair in a scrunchie, incessantly wiping my face with a cotton ball soaked in Sea Breeze, while adjusting the rubber bands on my braces, putting one cassette after another into my jam box, thinking that clearly no one had ever understood The Plight Of The Teenage Heart better than Mr. Phil Collins. I mean, who doesn’t remember this classic?
“You called me from the room in your hotel
All full of romance for someone that you met
And telling me how sorry you were, leaving so soon
And that you miss me sometimes when you’re alone in your room
Do I feel lonely too?
You have no right to ask me how I feel
You have no right to speak to me so kind
We can’t go on just holding on to time
Now that we’re living separate lives.”
Never you mind that I’d never had a boyfriend. I still knew deep in my heart of hearts the agony, the heart-wrenching grief of true love.
And I knew those things, of course, because of John Hughes movies.
In fact, reading those lyrics makes me want to watch “Night Tracks” on WTBS out of Atlanta and record all the best videos (Dexy’s Midnight Runners singing “Come On, Eileen,” anyone?) on a VCR with its remote attached by a wire.
While tinkering with MS-DOS until the amber letters on the monitor make my eyes cross.
While drinking Pepsi Free.
I guess what I’m really trying to say is..... where has the time gone? Wasn’t it just yesterday that I was a stupid teenager? And it was only a few hours ago that I was a young mother with two adorable babies. I only closed my eyes for a few minutes and my children changed in an instant.
On a side note, the boys are having some exciting times. Brien just got his first car, it is as old as he is…. Perfect for a struggling college student.
Wesley made the varsity soccer team and is well on his way to a successful junior year in high school.
Me…. I’m just trying to keep my eyes open so I don’t miss anything.
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3 comments:
Wow! You were a nerdy drama queen. Just kidding! It is all pretty funny. But instead of being sad and wondering wear did the time go. Look to tomorrow at all the new adventures of your son in College and getting married and becoming a grandmother and enjoying the joys that lie ahead. And give yourself a pat on the back and say "Well done, I really was a good mother and tried my very best, and my boys really turned out pretty good." Love ya tons!
Hey, those sweet valley teens really did have it bad. Do you remember the black marble? The one where if it was cast when you were being voted into the "in" gang you weren't allowed? Black balled from the SVH cool group of girls. ARGH!
The way you write about the teenage years makes it all the more ridiculous how I thought I knew what love was.
So young, so naive.
You were pretty dramatic! I remember those movies too, in fact I used to own some of them until recently. I actually have few memories of my teenage years. I do remember reading those SVH books, how I wish I had read more meaningful literature. I guess we could count Jack Weyland as being meaningful. Anyway it's fun to reminisce on borrowed memories.
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