Wait... Who Am I?

 

 

I am from magic tricks and pixie sticks,

From Kool-Aid and the dirt under a tent.

I am from things of color,

Like the dancing blend of red, orange, and yellow,

And from the silver bullet, friend-filled and fast.

 

I am from the people of the cleft. It’s deep and distinct.

From the people who are 100% right, 75% of the time.

I am from the live and learners, the book smarts,

And even from the mistake makers.

I am from pride, dedication, and tradition.

From the friends that feel like family,

Always there with a dry shoulder and open ears.

 

I am from Keith and Julie, who are from John and Elaine.

From grandma’s corn, home cooked meals, and cookies baked with love.

I am from the ear grandpa lost to a motorcycle accident.

From the beautiful sunsets that fall on the Pacific,

Blended and created to perfection by the father above.

 

In a place only known to me, I keep a box.

IN this box, are memories of where I’ve been.

I’m from best friends, heartbreak, and lost friends.

From midnight movies and the “Two A.M. Tango.”

I’m not from the number of breaths I take,

But rather the number of moments that take my breath away.

And I wouldn’t change where I’ve been for the world.

 

 

I wrote this poem my sophomore year of high school and have kept it on my dresser ever since. I keep it there for a personal reminder of where I’ve been and some events that have molded me into the person I am today. For me, that poem is sort of like my driver’s license. It gives me a sense of identity and helps me answer a very important question. Who am I? Personally, I feel like this is a question you could ask at many different points of someone’s life and the answers each time have the potential to be polar opposites. Who am I? Well I used to be a happy but also very  frustrated child. I was bullied a lot through elementary school for being overweight. Not only was I bullied but there were certain situations on the home front that added to my stress and frustration. When I was being me, I didn’t have a lot of self-confidence. At that point in my life there were only two things that made me truly happy. One of those things was movies. When I would watch a movie, I would get so into the story that it seemed to drown out all the negative things going on in my life. The second, was acting. I loved being on stage! The reason I felt so comfortable on stage was simply because I didn’t have to be me! For about an hour, I could be somebody else. I had a different name and a different life.

            As elementary school came to a close and I made the transition into middle school, I started getting really involved with magic. The entire concept just fascinated me. As I started learning more magic, I had a bigger urge to show off my new discovered talent. When I performed magic for my peers, they all seemed to really love it. It was the one thing I was able to do that made me feel accepted by others. Because of this, my self-confidence went through the roof and I really started to break out of my shell. Magic has been a huge part of my life since and it is something I will always hold close to me.

             So the awkward years of middle school finally comes to an end. At this point in my life I’m a very happy, fun-loving, magic-doing nerd who likes who he is. However, now this meek freshman has to somehow mesh in with the tall and intimidating upperclassmen. How am I ever going to make it? Then about two weeks of living in the high school world, I realized that these next four year were going to be fun! I made a lot of new friends. Unlike the people I use to associate myself with, these friends actually accepted me for me. I didn’t feel like I had to pretend anymore. I could be me and feel good about it. During my freshman and sophomore year of high school, I gained ample amount of self-confidence, a bucket full of laughs, and enough memories to last three lifetimes. As I slowly climbed the ranks of underclassmen to upperclassmen, I’ve learned so many things about myself that I could almost write a book! I’ve learned that everyone deserves you at your best, even when you feel like you’re at your worst. I’ve learned that it’s okay to be who you want to be, even if it means getting a little gruff from your friends. I’ve discovered that hard work and determination really does payoff. I’ve now know how to be just as good of a loser as I am a winner. I’ve found out that everything is ten times more funny after midnight. I’ve learned that by trying hard to bring out the best in others, automatically brings out the best in you. I've learned that life isn't fair. You don't always get what you need. You will be shoved down more than once but it's how quickly you can pick yourself back up that really matters. Most importantly, I've learned the hard way that I really don't know everything- but please don't tell my mom I said that.

 Now let me try this again. Who am I? I’m a guy who likes to have fun! I don’t take life to seriously because I know I’m not going to survive it anyway. I absolutely love being happy! By being enthusiastic and positive about life, I feel like I can make others smile as well. Who am I?  I’m a very passionate person. I’m mostly passionate about music, magic, and helping people. If there is something I can do to make someone else’s day a little better or a little easier, I’ll do it! If they are hurting in anyway, I do my best to try and help. Not only does it make them happy, but it makes me feel better about myself. Who am I? I’m a person that has high expectations. I always prepare for the worst and expect the best. I have enough respect for myself to treat my body well. However, every now and then I do treat it a little too well by giving it a sweat snack or two. Who am I? I'm a very competitive person who loves sports but was just never all that good at them. Now I take my competitiveness to speech meets where I actually stand a chance. Who am I? I’m J.T. Wetherington, a kid from a small town who wants to make a big difference in other peoples’ lives- in any way, shape, or form.