Lena S., Centerville High School
That Warm Summer Morning
It was a warm morning on summer break. I woke up, and a feeling of nostalgia hit me. I hadn’t thought of myself having many positive strengths in life, or being much of a positive person at all. Although I''d feel them shine through in certain situations, a notion lingered that those strengths would never stay. And, because I was insecure, I believed it. I’ve always been sort of a people-pleaser; incapable of expressing feelings and even having trouble saying one word: “NO.” One day, something happened that shifted my mindset from believing I haven’t any positive attributes, to not only a new mindset, but a new lesson.
Here we are, that morning when the nostalgic feeling swept over me. I wanted to reminisce on old memories. To feel what I believed was missing in my life, I thought of my grandparents’ house; where countless hours of my childhood were spent. I knew my grandparents didn’t go out much and my family and I rarely saw them due to Covid-19. These factors negatively impacted them, and though they had each other, they were still lonely and frankly, bored.
That day, I called and told them I wanted to stay with them for a bit. They believed my request was a little droll, but happily obliged. That evening I went over, we chatted and really got to know each other again. I made sure to always be engaged in our conversations and ask questions, because I knew it was nice to have someone take interest in you. They told me that they hadn’t been doing much. What they described sounded awfully repetitive, which triggered feelings of sadness within me. I wouldn’t let them lead a boring life while I was there. I suggested my grandma and I go shopping together just like we used to. For my grandpa, we just laughed together like old times. It was freeing to feel at ease from the anticipation of when I would see them next. After all, they were finally right in front of me.
I’d delighted knowing how positively I influenced their mood and, in that moment, realized how grateful I was for my grandparents. I often take things for granted, but I needed a lesson to enjoy life in the present. To stop worrying about what dumb thing happened in the past or what the future looks like 20 years from now. If I hadn’t decided to stay with them that warm summer morning, I’m afraid I may never have realized that. I was told to “appreciate things while they last” all the time, but it’s until you learn it yourself that you actually begin to appreciate the idea. That day, I’d finally started to understand.
I feel, in this situation, my good attributes shone through; being considerate, grateful, and a problem solver. Before that day, I believed I wasn’t capable of being positive at all. This experience made me realize that I am capable of being positive. You are too.
