Life,

There once was a U.S. Navy recruiting commercial that said, “if someone wrote a book about your life, would you want to read it?”. That is something that has really stuck with me, I feel like you have to live with some kind of passion for life. Do something that you would be proud of yourself for. Take chances, listen to those people around you when they compliment things you do well. I was just a kid playing with the neighbors who lived down the alley way from our house as the rain began falling, and the thunder was just a rumble, my mother called on the phone to have me come home. The neighbors mother answered the phone, and once she came and told me it was time to go, I began putting on my shoes and jacket. As I peered out the sliding glass door on the back of their house my eyes widened with every flash of lighting. I knew I had to be tough, I had to have courage, I knew the journey was going to be grueling. I pulled my hat down, checked to make sure my shoes were tied tight, and I bolted from their door. The rain coming down started to collect into streams running along the worn dirt tracks left by the garbage trucks going up and down the grass alley way. Every step splashing water up onto me, soon making the jacket I was wearing nearly useless. Just a scared kid trying to be brave I sprinted as fast as I could. Every time lightning would strike, I knew the only safe thing for me to do would be to jump right over it. The rain seemed to be coming down harder and harder with every step I took. Finally, ever so slightly through the rain, I could see the light next to our back door glowing. Knowing that safety was so close I grit my teeth and pressed on. As I reached the back door I didn’t even slow down, I grabbed the handle and burst into the kitchen.

I was just a little kid standing there in the kitchen out of breath, water dripping off my clothes. I don’t know what was louder, my breathing or the thunder and lightning crashing outside. My parents seeing me visibly gasping for air asked me if I was ok. I told them I was fine, but I had to sprint past the monsters hiding in the shadows, jump over the lightning bolts as the crashed into the ground in front of me, crossing raging rivers flowing down the alley. They both couldn’t help but laugh, and my mother told me I should be an author when I grow up because I sure know how to tell a story. I don’t know where any of this is going to go, but I am ready to give it a try.