The Wonderful World of Writing

It's true what they say...you never know how much you valued something until it's gone. I knew I valued writing, as it was a large part of my life growing up. I wrote countless amount of poetry, an annual Christmas play for my little cousins to perform, and even began many chapter books that I swore would become best sellers. But I let it go. I traded my words for college homework and roomie bonding time. (For the record, I wouldn't trade my roomies for the world!!!) Then after college, the distractions continued...grading papers, writing lesson plans, working on my masters, and still trying to manage some sort of a social life. When was there time to write? And if there was time....where was my energy and drive to write?! Thankfully, I had an awakening. I need writing to stay sane...it's my way of relaxing. Some people find comfort in having a beer after work; I find comfort in sitting at a computer and getting my thoughts down. And to think I've denied myself this need for the past...how many years?! I've missed it. And now that I have it back, I feel so much better. This revisited passion of mine got me thinking about my past life as a writer. I scoured through my apartment in search of the project I did for my "Prayer and Spirituality" class at UA. I had chosen to write poems and other short pieces, and then I photographed things that I felt awakened my spirit and complemented my writing. I flipped through the folder and thought, "Hey, I was a pretty smart girl at the tender age of 17!" Now, I realize that I am a little biased, of course. ;) But I figured I would share some of my old writing with you, because it still speaks to me now, even as an adult. So here we go...


What Schools Should Teach...
1.) Don't listen to the opinions of anyone else: the only voices that matter are your intuition and heart.
2.) Grades don't measure knowledge, they only reveal whether or not you take tests well or that you're a good guesser.
3.) It's okay to look in the mirror and see imperfections....as long as you accept them.
4.) It is a good thing to be a person that gives good advice. It is a greater thing to be a person that listens to advice.
5.) You learn a lot from a broken heart.
6.) Mistakes are a good thing - they give you a chance to learn.
7.) Everyone dislikes their parents at one time or another, but that doesn't give you the right to say hurtful things.
8.) Always be cautious with your heart, but never be too afraid to let yourself love or be loved.
9.) Always put time in your schedule for you to spend alone time with yourself.
10.) If things in life are down, they're bound to go back up sooner or later.
11.) Love yourself first - then love others.
12.) You will never be happy if your life mission is to make other people happy all of the time.
13.) You can't make a person like you, but you can make yourself into a person that doesn't stress over that fact.
14.) Always know what you deem important, and never let anyone tell you it is less than you feel it really is.
15.) Always begin and end your day with a smile.
16.) Realize that popularity is just something that is perceived. We are all equal, and deserve to be treated as equals.
17.) Even if you feel no one is proud of you, be proud of yourself.
18.) Always be on the lookout for little lessons life has to offer.

When I was a Girl

When I was a girl,

Life was easy and carefree.

I felt like a butterfly,

Fluttering through each day,

Looking for new adventures.

I obeyed my mother,

Idolized my dad.

I played with dolls,

Enjoyed the outdoors,

And always had a smile upon my face.

But things are different now.

The girl I once knew is now a woman.

There are just as many tears as laughter,

As much heartache as joy.

The petty fears of monsters under the bed,

And the boogie man have vanished;

Replaced with fears of the future,

Fears of the real world,

Fears of myself.

The unknown lurks behind every crevice of my life,

And I never know what to expect.

My mom and I fight,

I don't feel like a "daddy's girl" anymore,

And friends are closer.

What once were called "meanies" and "bullies,"

Are now called "b*tches" and "sluts."

Boys are after more than just a game of tag,

And dating can be nightmarish.

Dances don't seem so glamorous when searching for a date.

Depression creeps in slowly,

Because of the reality of the world,

Of how cruel people can be,

And because of the girl vanishing.

My heart gets shattered more easily now.

Be it because of a boy,

Or a friend,

Or... even myself.

My body doesn't seem to look the way I wish it.

People don't accept so easily now,

And exclude more frequently.

No one sees the positive in a situation,

Only the negative.

The sun doesn't shine so brightly now,

And wishing on stars doesn't seem to help much.

But is this necessary to grow up?

In a way, yes,

Because we learn,

We grow,

And we become stronger because we've survived it.

But what would happen if once in awhile,

We let the little girls inside of us break free?

What if we look on the bright side of things,

Take on new adventures,

And notice how blue the sky really is on a spring day?

What if we wish upon a star for something our heart desires?

Would that be such a bad thing?

Yes, we must grow up to be strong women,

But we mustn't let the girl inside of us disappear.

She must stay with us,

Inspire us,

And even sometimes show up in us.

We mustn't ever forget her.

Plea of Love

You take my quivering hand...

Please don't squeeze too tight.

You listen to my words...

Please don't twist them into something else.

You look into my eyes...

Please don't look too far into my soul.

You talk to me...

Please don't criticize.

You give me your attention...

Please don't call me greedy.

You take my heart in your hands...

Please don't break it.

You say you love me...

Please love my fragility, too.

I am grateful for...

1.) Writing again.

2.) Homemade cheese quesadillas and tomato soup (strange combo, I know...but they sounded good for dinner!)

3.) A two-day work week! :)

Fun First Grade Fact of the Day:

(This is random...but I had to throw it in somewhere!)

This new segment was sparked by a child in my class named "Awesome." Of course that's not his real name, but his actual name is just as funny and fitting! ;) (If you know my class, you know who I am talking about!)

Awesome: "Miss Ruwe, did you know that the first letters of "Saturn," "Uranus," and "Neptune" spell the word "sun?"

Me: "No, Awesome, I did not."

(I walk away with a puzzled look on my face...)

What do you know? Those planets are side by side and their first letters do, in fact, spell the word "sun." I have come to the conclusion that my first graders appear to be smarter than me. Seriously?!?! Who thinks of that stuff?!?!

One more thing...it's driving me nuts that the end of my post is all squished together...I think it's too long, and they therefore won't let me put breaks in it. So sorry. You probably didn't even notice, but I am a bit of a perfectionist...