When I was in the fourth grade, half my class was split up because of over population. They combined half of our class, with half of the 5th graders. At first, I was scared of those "Big Fifth Graders." But it was that year I met my best friend Mike. By the end of the year, we were best pals. He even gave me his seat cushion at the end of the year. What a guy. Now he gives me rides to school and has introduced me to the cool people at my high school. He's done a lot for me. Especially for defending me when I didn't play football.
When I was born, and my mom was still in the hospital with me, she met a new friend who had a son 2 years older than myself. Turns out they live only 1/4 of a mile from us. As I grew up, her son and I were best friends. We did everything together. I'll never forget playing with the John Deere tractors and the sand box. We went our seperate ways at one time, but we're best friends again now. If its meant to be, it comes through.
I went to Bluestone Church Camp in 1993 for my first year as a camper. The place was wonderful. It was so new to me. Although I was nervous about being away from my home, I had "Two pieces of family" there to help me. I did get home sick on Wednesday, halfway through the week. My letter to my mom was like this:
I never learned to swim and have had a small fear of water ever since.
I have lost all my grandparents. I only really got to know one, and that was my grandfather. I was just getting to really know and love him when he died. It was horrible. We had just gotten back from visiting him when the nurse called. He died happy, I know he did. He got to see the 3rd generation below him be born, he got to hear me talk about football, and he heard me play the guitar when I first learned. I know he and my grandmother are smiling on me now. I love them.
The summer before going in to the 6th grade, I went to a bible school at my brother's church. It was there that I was saved. Pastor Bill Egardal is the proudest Christian I've ever met, and he willingly passed that love to me. Allthough I don't show it all the time, I do have a strong love of Jesus in my heart. He's the reason I'm here today, and the reason I have as many blessings as I do.
To your right is a dollar bill folded into a bow tie. My grandfather kept it in his wallet always. I found it cleaning his house, and I keep it with me now. Its my constant reminder. Get to know the ones you don't. You'll regret not doing it. Trust me.
In 1993, I was 11 years old. My father had a guitar my mom had bought him for Christmas, stored away in its case upstairs. He didn't have time for it. My friend (as I spoke of above), and I stumbled on it and he showed me the three note version of "Louie, Louie." I was so pumped I ran downstairs and showed my father. We kept the guitar, a Carlos, downstairs from then on. the first song I learned went a little something like this. . . .
Its a family kinda song.
My first day of school was in 1987. I arrived and was intimidated by all the people, my size, there. Fortunately, while I was still holding onto my mother's leg, my best friend Dana walked in. That made me feel better about myself, but we were both scared to death. So me and Dana sat on a table, across the room from everyone and talked. When the teacher asked us to clean up, we said "But, we didn't play with anything." Mrs. Buckland was a convincing lady.
My brother and I were best friends growing up. When he went off to college, it was like he took my heart with him. I never felt the same without Dave around. When he would come home from college every weekend (I think he missed me too) I would run rampid through the house, collecting all the new toys I'd gotten since I'd seen him last. He always had a new comic book for me to. I loved those things. Now, those 3 and 4 dollar books are sitting in a room some where far away. Now when Dave comes home, I still go and get all the toys, but they are for his kids to play with. Its funny how things don't always change like you think they do.
The first night I had my own room was AWESOME. I had my "Stay Puffed Marshmallow Man" stuffed toy and all my Ghostbusters posters up. They protected me throughout the nights. But then they started to plot against me. I went back to my sisters room after that.
Winky was my first Teddy Bear. He was the man. Even after his fur began to get nappy, he was still my favorite companion.
One day I'll never forget; I don't remember what grade I was in, but my sister was still in junior high. She was a cheerleader. Somehow, she got on the bus beside me. I noticed she was crying and I couldn't figure out what was wrong. I kept asking but I guess she was too upset to tell me. It had something to do with cheerleading. To this day, I don't know what was wrong.
I wrote my first song for my sister. It was one chord and complimented her on her new swim suit. Born to perform, thats me.
I never had much of a philosophy on life, but here is the closest thing to it. Check it out!
