Then...
- 13 years old
- Sudbury Swim & Tennis Club, Massachusetts
Now...
- 58 years old
- Scarborough, Maine
- Senior Software Developer
My Story...
13 is one really tough age. 7th, maybe 8th grade. Afraid of interacting with girls. All different states of puberty. I remember the bullies. Ethan. One year older. Decided my “Mattel VRooom Motor” was a sissy toy. I actually agree with him now, with 45 years hindsight. Chased me with his 10-speed. Broke my sissy toy. Around the same time, I remember waiting for a girl I liked behind the junior high school before my JV soccer game, right foot casually planted on the bricks behind me. Kathy. Always liked the name Kathleen. Still do. She was a no-show that warm September day. No stuff-strutting at THAT game for the awkward little just-teen. July 4, right around the time of the picture. My heart was captured again by a cute girl at the swimming club. Want to go to the fireworks in Wayland with me? Nerves singing. YES! A real date…kind of. My big chance. I was going to score my first kiss that night, under the stars, with fireworks exploding. Lesson learned by 13-year old boy: Never get involved with a tom-boy. They don’t like to be kissed. Same grade. Later that school year. Vying with my friend for the attentions of Susan, pretty, tall, brunette with long hair, and smart. I won. Gave her a charm bracelet to prove it. Lasted one uncomfortable week. She gave the bracelet to her friend, who gave it to me. Things got much better between us with all that silliness out of the way. Later in high school, the friend who lost to me that year won her heart for real. They are still married all these years later. Guess what? So am I. All is good in adulthood. Time affords the opportunity to look back at those awkward years and truly see them for what they were – laughable. It all makes for good lessons that you will use to help your own kids get through those same awkward years. Truth be told, my own 2 guys have done just fine in that regard. I love them both, even though I don’t remember if THEY had their own awkward years. Take it back. I hate them for not suffering like I did…{kidding}. :-) Life is good! (TM)