beached \07.06\

beached \07.06\

Posted by Lauren at 11:58 PM ✪ No comment yet

Do you remember the awkward adolescent years? If you don't recall having awkward years, you're most likely delusional. It's not something I think about often, for good reason, and I doubt that I've thought about those years in quite a while. But the youngest of my cousins are in that awkward stage right now, and seeing them over the past few days brought it all back.

Changing dynamics of friendships. Braces. The opposite sex. Self-consciousness.

Some of the awkward memories merely make me laugh or shake my head. During my middle school years I weighed somewhere between 80-90 pounds and probably measured around 5'3". There wasn't much of me. Yet, I insisted on wearing my shirts in a size large. Other memories are less amusing, but have given me insight into my personal development. I can see aspects of my personality that began taking root back in those seemingly innocent middle school and high school years.

To be completely honest, I've never longed to return to those years of my life. I can see how people might say that things were so much easier back then and they'd gladly go back. The way I remember it, the challenges and emotions of those days felt big when you were in their midst. Today's challenges in the adult world may be of a different nature, but our enhanced (hopefully) personal development is equitable to their heightened gravity.