Childhood Memories from an ^Almost Adult

Life
By Benjamin Kotey

It takes a day to day to make a dream,
But it takes many nights for a seed to become a tree.

Life is a ladder that must be climbed.
But in every stage,

There are many rivers and battles to fight
And our hope determines our future.

Life is a trip through the wilderness 
And everyone must survive for success.

And without a determination
We can never reach our destination.

There are many roads in life,
But choice

Stands between the broad and the narrow.
But the world is not only what we see

But what we hear
Life is time and time is tide.

We are making an endless journey
But no ladder is without an end

Problems may fall like rain
But every seed has its seasons.


~~~

Today is my last official day of childhood. I graduated high school, left home, and went grocery shopping for myself for the first time months ago. But tomorrow I will be 18 years old. The idea of being 18 seems foreign to me: I won't have to call my dad when I'm on a date at Low's because I'm not old enough to decide if I can handle jumping into giant foam pits; I won't have to have my mom tell my hairdresser that she has permission to cut my hair from 1500 miles away; I can vote; I can even elope! I probably won't, but the point is, I could.

In 24 hours, I won't be a different person then who I am today. But this upcoming age has given me a chance to reflect on my childhood memories that make Anne Katherine who she really is.

I entertained the idea that my mom was an alien for a week, laid under my piano's keyboard when I needed to clear my thoughts, and recorded jokes with my brother on a tape cassette. Lion King hyenas lived in my basement, a donkey resided under my bed who ate my blanket if they hung off the end of my bed, and an alligator escaped from the zoo, traveled through the sewer system and tried to break into my room to eat me. I remember sitting on a circle chair in Hawaii watching girls dance with ribbons to a song about lollipops. One Fourth of July, my baby blanket started on fire from a little sparkler, and some nice lady in my ward patched up the whole with a heart.

I remember sitting on my parents floor when they called us to tell us that Camille was a girl, and not the Timothy that they were expecting; I saved my pretty red and white striped dress for when I got to visit her  for the very first time. Playing with bendy-fox, bendy-lion and bendy-gator on the carpet protector in our living room with Simeon and Christian. Wearing a Chinese outfit for Halloween and feeling Simeon's felt lion costume. Falling asleep every night holding Camille's hand through the crib; telling my mom that it was Camille who wanted to hold hands, but in reality, it was me who couldn't bear the thought of waking up with my sister not being there. Going to D.C. and walking into our house at the end of vacation, seeing all the presents under the tree and knowing that Santa Clause was real because my parents had been in a different state.  Duct taped whiffle balls and family truth or truth games that unfailingly ended in tears. Cardboard noodles, SPAM, pickle surprises. Tag around the main level, hiding Lorenzo in a laundry bin. Locking the babysitter out of the house and Kelsey Parkinson giving us cough drops as rewards for good behavior. "Joseph Smith Hide and Go Seek," "Preach my Gospel," and family trivia. Zachary Tyler. Queen Jane. Percy Jackson. Fielding falling asleep in my arms for the very first time. 6 years later, helping him read the Magic Tree House books. Text audits by the parents where they learn about their daughter's dating life. Sneaking into Abe's room when he was crying in the middle of the night because I was sick of hearing him scream and my parents were training him to sleep through the night. My mom catching me.Threatening my mom that I would quit piano; her responding that it was my choice, fully knowing that I never would.

Becoming friends with Angie because of an offer to bring the croutons to a salad. Going to primary in the Andover Ward for the first time, and desperately wanting Nick notice me as much as I noticed him. Meeting Lexi on the first day of 8th grade and wanting to someday be as friendly as she was. Weight training with Andrea sophomore year and developing an awesome friendship as we lifted and skipped running days. Jenna inviting me to a sleepover at her house for the first time for freshman year homecoming. Singing Sk8r Boi on the monkey bars with Marissa in fifth grade. Walks home with Brittney. Playing ultimate with Ellen, climbing over dressers with Shemaina. APUSH with Grant and Joe, chemistry with Max and Tom. Phil's "tooth hurty" jokes, Jack's Al Gore imitations. Plan Las Vegas at that one park with Marc. Beth's inventive hanger purses. Awkward lunch conversations in Nauvoo with Kevin, Jake and Chad. Pretty and witty Bennett sisters, backstage moments and Caribou runs with the theater kids. Tater tots and eye candy with the best choir nerds in Minnesota. Learning from my roommate's signature dance moves. Rachael's celebration of life. Prolly having well grammar with Brad and Austin. Zeegan and Greg's Iowa-Utah caucus confusion.

Skipping kindergarten, winning my first piano competition, making all-state, being the Witch, graduating from high school, getting Personal Progress, attending BYU.

Sister, daughter, student, musician, thinker, prayer, joker, creator, philosopher, friend, best friend.

This is who I am. I am inspired by the thousands of people that have influenced and nurtured me, laughed with me, and prayed with me. I hope that in the next 18 years, I will be able to take everything you have taught me and start to apply it to the world. I wish to make as much difference on others as you have on me.

To laughing, to loving, to living.

AK

~~~

Things I Should Have Learned Years Ago... With a Dash of Christmas Lights

Today is a very important day. This is where if I could hear you, I am sure you would be asking "Why? Please tell me!" So I will tell you. First of all, in 1980, John Lennon was shot. Second of all, in 1941, the United States declared war on Japan. Third of all, the Bears beat the Redskins 73-0 in an NFL Championship game back in 1940. These are all very important things. There's another reason today is important though... Drumroll please.... I have officially finished classes for my first semester of college! This is what I have learned from my first four months of living away from home:

1. The perfect turkey-cheese ratio on a sandwich is 3:1. Now that I know this, my culinary skills have indeed improved. People come all over the Heritage complex to eat one of my delectable sandwiches. 
2. If you are one of those weird people who work their best under extreme levels of stress, you really need to get that checked out. And probably fixed.
3. The best way to get a guy to stop hitting on you in the middle of class is to pull up facebook on your computer and start stalking all of your most attractive guy friends. 
4. Life always gives you what you want right after you decide you don't want it anymore. I suggest you just realize this and develop a sense of humor. It's really the only way to deal with the situation.
5. There is room to care for everyone in your heart. You just have to decide whether you are going to let them in or not. 

I've also learned a little bit about philosophy, history, physics, art, religion, chemistry, service, you know. However, the lessons learned on the list is the real reason I'm paying tuition. 

Okay, time for some Christmas cheer! :) One of the things I love most about Christmas is the way my mom decorates our house. She has these gorgeous garlands covered in lights and other pretty things that get hung throughout the main level. The first night we have those hung and our Christmas tree set up and decorated, I stay up late until everyone else is asleep. Then I go downstairs and turn all of the Christmas lights and just look around at the shadows playfully being thrown on the wall by the hundreds of light bulbs lighting up the rooms. When we have the decorations set up and there's snow on the ground, that's when I know it's Christmas!

We also have these Christmas blankets that decorate the couches and chairs in our living room. One of my first Christmas memories took place when I was sitting on one of the chairs the blanket was thrown on. I thought that those blankets were so cool. Like one of the coolest things of my life. Cooler than... cool whip! So I got my two youngest brothers and started a Christmas club with them. The main rule was when we had club meetings, we all had to be sitting on one of the blankets. I'm pretty sure we met for like three minutes and then my mom started coming down the stairs, so we playfully attacked her to preserve the secrecy of our club. And now I'm posting this on the internet. My 8 year old secretive self is killing my conscience right now! Anyways, I can't wait to go home and see all of our beautiful Christmas decorations everywhere! 

Just a Shout Out to my Favorite Superhero of All Time

Today is my mother's 40th birthday. Now she might be really embarrassed that the whole world now knows how old she is. It's not embarrassing Mom, I promise. Also, she looks like she is 27. We went to New York this summer (which was the best week of my entire life, no joke) and 40 people asked us if we were sisters. People don't ask that to a teenager and a woman who looks like she is 40. I rest my case.
I've realized over the last couple of weeks just how much my mom did for me. Everyone says that you realize this when you go to college, but I never quite took those people seriously. Beyond the normal matriarchal duties, she taught me how to read and write and do math before I entered kindergarten. Some people accuse me of being smart because I skipped a grade. I'm really not, it is all in the fact my mom taught me from a young age that education was important.
My mom also gave me my love for music. She started teaching me piano and ever since then, music and I have been inseparable. She taught me how to work, even when I really did not want to learn.
Most of all though, she has been an incredible example of service. She is the mother of seven children and has whole heartily dedicated her life to us, even when it meant putting every aspect of her life on the back burner. We watched this movie in a service class I have and it reminded me completely of her. She has always been that one person to stand up and help others when many people sat and watched. She takes on the impossible, and prays that Heavenly Father will help with the rest.

She is my #1 inspiration. 

I love you, Mom!

The Truth Behind Atlantis

There's this thing called college. I'm not sure if you've heard about it yet. For those of you that haven't, I'll explain it to you. College: noun. Step 1: Leave everything you have known for the last 18 years. Step 2: Pay someone a lot of money to learn things from expensive textbooks. And on the side, pay more money to sleep and eat. (Whoever invented this thing was an economic mastermind.) Step 3a: Take advantage of the expensive education you just payed for and do homework. 3b: Follow the calls of happy people outside and have fun. 4: Say you will go to sleep early. 5: Not go to sleep early. 6: Wake up to go to your 8 a.m. dance class. 7: Repeat.

So that is college. 

But sometimes, you learn cool little bits of knowledge that make life interesting. (This is my inspiration of the day. By the way.)

In my History of Creativity class, I was reading about the Minoans. Their culture suddenly died off around 1600 B.C. and scholars debate what caused this fall out. One of the theories is Thera, a large volcano in close proximity to the island where the Minoans lived, exploded. This is what the textbook was explaining when it went off on a small tangent and explained another conspiracy theory. 

"Some scholars have equated this event with the legendary destruction of the island of Atlantis as reported by Plato. . . These scholars believe that if the distance from the Greek mainland is corrected, along with the size of the island and the time, the disappearance of Atlantis would correspond closely with the eruption of Thera."

I don't know what the chances of this actually being true, but it's interesting to think about. Myths often start with some grain of truth in them. What if Atlantis was real? It's probably hiding under the ocean and now all of the people have evolved into a hybrid of mermaids!!!

(Based off of a true story...)

I appreciate the fact that the world has mysteries that aren't uncovered. It makes the living way more interesting because you will never know what you will learn or hear about. Or what new discovery will change the world. Or what invention will revolutionize human life. 

I guess that's why you go to college.