Greta's Tapestry
My deafening shrieks for my mother pierced the silence as I came into the world. Cold air filled my lungs and with my first breath, my life began.
My parents supervised my life very closely. They didn’t want their first child getting hurt. The days were first spent with lots of naps and then, later, exploring this new home of mine. It was so big for such a tiny girl. I soon found out, this house was getting smaller! Or was I getting bigger? And where did this other little baby come from and why is he getting all of the attention? My little brother had invaded my space and was the new thing. Well that will not do. To solve that problem, I just sat on him. When I look back at the pictures and see my brother is sitting there peacefully in his little blue chair until I come and sit on him, hoping to be in the picture too.
Moving to a new house was scary. It was so much bigger and now I had to share a room! With a little sister. She was so cute when she was born. A little tuft of black hair on her head and when I saw her eyes open for the very first time, they were the brightest blue I had ever seen. I want my cute little sister back!
When the sibling chapter in my life ended another began. School. What was the whole point of this anyway? I sure liked sitting at home and playing. What about going to the beach in the summer? Was I still going to be able to do that? A whole flood of new questions came into my mind. I was soon to find out.
I held to my father’s hand as tight as I could, not wanting to let go as we approached the preschool. It turns out that’s how most elementary school years began. Nervousness had the best of me until I walked into the classroom and saw all of my wonderful friends smiling right back at me. When seeing them, I looked up at my father and smiled, it was going to be okay.
The end of elementary school rolled around and I thought this is not okay. What was I going to do? My best friends suggested some school I had never even heard of. Cab Calloway School of the Arts. What a name! I walked into the school for my audition and found that it was not what I had expected. Where were the ceilings? And the doors? Oh well, I mean if I don’t get in, then I won’t have to worry about it. But getting that big envelope saying that I was accepted was the greatest thing. I was going to belong somewhere where I could express myself.
Middle school was filled with a crazy fun packed school year and a relaxing summer at the Jersey shore. Ever since I was a baby, I have been going there. Avalon, New Jersey was the place where I could forget all about school and just do nothing. The smell of the house when you first walk in at the beginning of the summer season, rushing to the room where you know your going to be staying for the whole summer, and walking upstairs onto the deck to the ocean that was so close. Days filled with walking outside and basically right into the sandy path leading to my favorite place. Days filled with lying on the sand trying to get a tan while reading book after book. I am very lucky to be doing that.
At the end of summer comes the beginning of a school year. I can hardly remember what eighth grade was like because it went by so fast. All I do remember was getting ready for high school. And I knew exactly where I wanted to go. I was already there, but not quite. The year seemed so fast but waiting for that letter took forever. Every day, waiting to walk in and see that envelope that I had gotten just three years earlier. It finally came with success.
While I had walked in to Cab extremely nervous the first day of middle school, I walked in proud the first day of high school. I had made it, finally. I was where I belonged and I knew it. I had the talent or else I wouldn’t be here. And for the next four years, I am here to stay. |
