You Witnessed My Growth: A Short Story

Growing up in San Francisco was not easy. My life has been a up hill battle. I’vealways been a free spirited person. Always loved sometimes loved the wrong people. I grew up in San Francisco. Most people think of San Francisco as this wonderful free love place. Well it’s not this wonderful free love place. Fillmore is what my neighborhood was called. This Fillmore place was a very dark violent place. Many don’t make it out. Either you die young, or you go out on drugs. I always wanted more out of life. I always felt that if I could escape this dark unkind place I would be a better person. Sometimes as a child I would dream of living in a real family setting. You know a father that lived with my mother and I. “A real family not a dysfunctional one”. School has always been a outlet for me. I could go to school and learn, learn, learn. I’ve always been

All I wanted was moments with my mom when I was nine; I did not get it. What about age ten, eleven, and twelve? My whole childhood was snatched out from under me, and I had to grow up way to fast. Don’t worry, I did not blame you. I blamed myself until I was fifteen. It was my fault my mother tried to drown my sisters and me. I saw signs and clues. I could tell she was not acting herself, but I said nothing. I didn’t go and ask another grownup for help. I put my sisters’ lives in danger, because I didn’t protect them.

After finishing the selection titled “Eighteen” by Maria Banus, I was completed surprised on how genuine the authors feelings were. Normally when I read poetry it is difficult to understand the meaning of numerous amount of it, if not all of the lines but this one was different as if it pertained to me. This poem made me feel rather sad and miserable because there are a lot of grievances that one may bring up about growing into an adult. Everyone always says how enjoyable your teenage years are, how invigorating the experience is to live life to the fullest and to enjoy it before it comes to end, but a lot of people may disagree. This analogy is incorrect to

I’ve tried my hardest, pushed my limits, Burned my mind to try to stop myself, But never have I succeeded. I’ve only walked the road of failure, The skies a burning, scarlet red, The cement and paint cracking and crumbling Beneath my feet.

As I read this novel, I could not stop crying. The way that the characters persisted moved me, the ending was a perfect mix of joy and pity, and the imagery was far beyond amazing. This quote, specifically, speaks to me because I can apply it to any aspect of my life, especially throughout my metaphorical journey in seventh grade. This book of poetry is not a series of poems that I tell my story through, but rather a biography written about the challenges and successes in my life. I have changed and evolved into the scholar and young woman that I am today throughout one school year, which is remarkable and overwhelming all at once.

An author of children’s books claimed, “When you become a teenager, you step onto a bridge… The opposite shore is adulthood. Childhood lies behind… As you cross, it burns behind you,”(Gail Carson Levine). This quote reveals a hard truth of life.

I’ve always felt that growing up is the most difficult part of life. Letting go of the past and moving on sounds scary. Just imagine living with the parents for so long and then it being time to fly away from the nest. Now it’s time; it's time to embark the journey..

When I hear that term I picture a little seed that has dreams to be a tree, but it seems nature doesn’t have the same plans for it. I see that seed being scorched the sun and flooded by rain almost about to die, but then a nurturing hand will come along and plant it in a pot; not sure it will grow but hopes it will grow. That little seed had given up the hope to grow, but seeing the hope of the planter gave it “the courage to grow”.

There's ups and there's downs, twists and turns lessons to be learned. A lost young boy trying to get through day by in a world that seemed a little bit too unfair. In middle school i didn't understand, i had no care in the world i thought I was invincible, no worries, no problem. I took my reality and turned into a dream to deal with the nightmares that haunted me at night. I just needed a second chance, i needed an awakening. Looking back on it now i wish i never taken the chances i had and opportunities granted.

On Friday, March 4 around 2:15pm my friend Iris and I decided to drive around to look for a park with children interacting to start our observations. We visited around six parks that varied on their components and locations but had no luck of three children interacting with each other. Most of the them were empty and the few other ones had a few children interacting more with parents or by themselves than with other children. At this point we reasoned that children must be in school causing the parks to be empty.

“Ahh...Middle School. So I guess the phrase “they grow up so fast” seems true. I can finally start acting like a mature young adult so to say. But there’s one problem: I have no idea what I’m supposed to do. The night before I just came back from Florida thinking that it would be a piece of cake. BUT I WAS WRONG. Here’s how it went down or at least how I think it went down. One warm crispy September morning I woke up ready to enjoy another day of summer vacation when I realized middle school was starting. I started to panic thinking to myself, “I missed orientation so I have no idea what to do. What will everyone think of me. What if I can’t open my locker?” I get nervous on the first day of school and I broke out in a cold sweat. I was so

My logic suddenly made no sense. I no longer had anyone to blame for my passivity except myself. I had subjugated myself when I knew I was just as capable. I had tried to change who I was for years when I shouldn’t have changed anything. I should have just been strong, trusted myself, and gone after what I wanted.

I have only been on campus a short time, but I have immediately been drawn in by the family atmosphere here at Shorter. I would greatly appreciate the chance to be involved in Shorter in a big way. I have always enjoyed the opportunity to be a leader, so I wanted to join Hill Climbers. Through Hill Climbers, I hope to grow as an outgoing leader, make connections with other Shorter students who want to be involved, and develop my communication skills.

Growing up I did not have what most people consider a normal family. I grew up in East Texas with a drug addict for a mother and a older gentleman for a father. My family was greatly affected by my mother's drug addiction. Even though we did not go without the necessary tools to survive there were major aspects that come a long with growing up that I missed out on. While my mother never actually harmed me or my siblings her actions had a negative lasting effect. While I was the middle child I was the most mature one so therefore when my mother would leave on her drug binges I had to step up and take her place at a young age. Having to step up at such a young age made me mature at early age which caused me to act out once I was older

The voice in my head, normally so calm and controlled, was screaming at me to run. That was exactly what was going through my five year old mind when I walked around the hallway corner to see my mother being beat to her death by my biological father, Brax Magnus. As I tried so hard to stay and defend my mom, I could not help but panic and so I ran. I ran so far until I seen a small gas station. I went inside to find a phone, but realized I did not know who to call. The cashier, seeing that I was crying and looked panic, walked over to me.