Learning that Adults Aren't Always Right

Just because someone is older than you, that doesn't make them wiser, and it certainly doesn't mean that you should always listen to them. Respect them, yes. Expect that they're always right, no.

That is a tough lesson for teenager to learn, and unfortunately, I had to learn it over the past few weeks. I've had some issues with teachers at my school, and I did my best to handle everything with respect and maturity by sending emails and having a meeting with the principal. And after many attempts to share my opinion and tell them that what they are doing is wrong, I was shoved aside and rudely confronted.

I thought that adults were taught not to talk to children like that. I thought that they would at least consider my opinions. Nope. They handled the entire situation in a more child-like way than me. I had to be the adult, and that was not right. Talk about role reversal.

I've never been so frustrated and angry in my whole life, and I felt like (and still feel like) I have no control over my own learning and that my feelings and ideas have no weight. It's an awful feeling to know you're so worthless when it comes to changing the system. And so lonely. I wish I could do something, and now I know that I've done all I can, and it didn't work.





I'm really lucky, though, that my whole family was right behind me, supporting me through it all. I needed them, and they really came through. Thanks, family.

A Cynical Look at the Holidays

We all know that it's holiday season. Yes, the most stressful, but supposedly the most cheerful time of year. People try to stretch their wallets in an attempt to buy people's happiness. Brilliant. That sounds lovely.

Instead of showing love by hugs and kisses, we show our love by how much money we spend and what we spend it on. Sometimes it would be better (not to mention cheaper) to tell someone "I love you" than to buy a heart-shaped diamond necklace to say it for you....or to not say it.

Maybe we're just trying to find a way around saying what we want (or don't want, but think we should) say to each other. Maybe that necklace is supposed to make her feel that you love her, but even though you may want to, you don't. Or maybe that brand new ipod touch for you daughter who you never talk to is supposed to make her feel like you're there for her all the time and that you care about her, and maybe you're trying to make up for all the times she gets in the car and you're on a conference call, but really, you know nothing is going to change between the two of you.

It's almost like the gift and the money are supposed to trick someone from discovering the truth about how you feel. Like a diversion. It's disguised by bows and wrapping paper and fluff and all so you won't be found out. "Well surely after she gets this, she won't need me to tell her I love her...because I don't." All so that no one discovers your little secret.

It's a cynical way to look at things, I know. And maybe I'm completely wrong. But all I've been seeing lately is a ton of traffic around the malls, crowded parking lots, scuffed shoes, stressed faces, and crying children. People honk more on our way to school in the mornings, and it's harder and harder to merge because no one will let us in.

Now, is that what the holidays should do to us? Make us rude and inconsiderate and dishonest?

 I doubt that all this was part of the plan.

I mean, where is the love?

Turkey Day

Since most bloggers are posting about Thanksgiving...I'll follow the crowd and do the same. That's what teenagers do, right?

This Thanksgiving was wonderful. Really. Usually there's a lot of yelling and screaming from the revival of long-debated family arguments, lots of traveling, packing and unpacking, cooking, broken dishes, the dropping of the stuffing on the tile floor, cranberry jello mold recipe issues, heated discussions about the tablecloth's flocking (still have no clue what they're talking about), and plenty more.

But this year...everything was the same. The only difference was it was all at our house. Yep. 10 family members ranging from teens to people pushing 90 all crammed around the same table. Yikes. I won't lie, making up the seating chart was a challenge. "He smells bad." "No, they'll get in a fight." "I hope they don't start talking politics." "Can we a play a game after dinner?" "She can't hear a thing, so let's not put them together." "I'm sitting here. Done."

But even with all that, it was still nice to have the family together. Especially after watching a show last night about homeless children and the stuggle that they overcome: living in trucks, not having enough food, dealing with issues like those and still doing school work and community service. They love their families despite their close living quarters, and they admire their parents through it all. It makes me appreciate the quirks that my relatives have and to love them in spite of their flaws.

So even though you may think that we teens just sit at the Thanksgiving table for the food and stay there with our arms crossed and our mouths shut, chances are we are giving our family a good look. And hopefully, we're realizing that you're not so bad after all.