Lucy Waskiewicz

Ms. Schmidt
Honors English 9
September 4, 2016
As we grow up, many people grow to try and break away from their past lives. They shun the
person they once were and the things they once did. This is where I think the saying never look
back came from- to leave the past in the past and get on with the present, to live in the
moment. But what so many people dont realize is that your childhood and younger years
should be embraced and not forgotten. Childhood is the foundation, the cornerstone of what you
create yourself to be. Leaving town, moving away in attempt to escape the place where you are
from, where you were raised is foolish. It is known one can escape the past, as it is within us,
lingering in our minds. Its not your old home you fear-its the rush of memories of days good
and bad that comes along with seeing it. But if you cannot face your past, how can you continue
with the future? How can you build your tower without first laying out the foundation, making it
strong? This is why I believe in examining your childhood with an open mind, and truly realizing
the little things that make all the difference today. Reminisce with a purpose- re-evaluate your
life to this point that the joys and hopes and dreams of your childhood may empower you unto
the future. Then live in the moment and without regrets- soon, this will be the past you are

evaluating. Today and every day counts double as a present experience and a motivation and
energy in days to come.

I loved my childhood. I was in the eye of a perfect storm, safe yet surrounded by so much
constantly swirling around me. My memories sometimes fade to a blur, alive only in raw feelings
or melodies or smells that scoop me up in a whirlwind, wafting my memory along a gentle
breeze that welcomes me back in time to my old life of childhood. Its like describing a drug or
sweet nothing- my halting flaw is indulgence in the nostalgia of a life once lived. Though some
of my memories are fringed with eroding clearness, I love reliving them. Sometime I refer
mentally to myself in childhood as a different being; a stem from the great big someone that I am
becoming or one day will be.
My life up to this point is a God-given miracle I will never be more grateful for. I was a
constant ball of energy and adrenaline. This is probably a beautiful marriage between my own
personality and my family-oriented life. I have never met such an amazing, funny, interesting,
colorful, smart, and crazy group of people as my extended family. We celebrate together, talk
together, laugh together, cry together, and love each other. My family was never as coddling and

adoring as the tight cocoon some families are; they preferred to be the safety net below me, ready
to catch me when I feel and launch me right back up. My cousins, aunts, uncles, and
grandparents have played every role in my life- role models, best friends, teachers, and coachesthey strive to help me succeed. As I ponder my life to this point, I have to thank them for what an
impact they have had one making me who I am today. I am a Larkin. And through my journey of
life, there will be those who wait at the finish line to collect a share of spoils and join ending
celebration. But I will always remember my family out on the course- there, cheering, when I
need it most- on my true journey through life. Because life isnt about the destination- its the
journey.
A lot of my past life I remember through the feelings that came with events. I was always
looking for new interests and excitements. I feared nothing. I founded lemonade stands from
scratch, dragging out and cleaning our small plastic table from the garage, painting signs, and
stirring lemonade (mix). Did I make more money than the kids in the other neighborhood whose
parents built stands with awning and counters. Probably not. But I cashed in with lessons of hard
work and reward that would last a lifetime. As a child, I had dreams, dreams of the future. I
hand-made business cards with the occupation pop star, constructed detailed sandcastle of my
caf I would own one day, and created art for my gallery. In fourth grade, I recruited girls in my
grade and became the editor of my self-published newspaper- the Grade A Fourth Grade News.
Were the articles always newsworthy? In retrospect, the Grade A paper probably should have

been renamed the Grade A Rag Mag, but what mattered was that they were interesting. The paper
was an escape from the indignation I felt as a self-professed journalist when I read the rubbish
about dress code and Common Core in the school paper. Needless to say, the Grade A News ran
monthly for two years, and Im still getting compliments on my work when I meet old school
parents of kids I never even knew. I bent the rules of journalism, got a sweet taste of having a job
I loved, and set the bar for whatever Im going to spend my limited time on. You wont see me
huddled in a cubicle punching numbers. Not me.
So much of my adrenaline was experiencing new things; going to different places and doing
new activities. I discovered what I loved and what I was passionate about. My parents took my
family out with our cousins and friends to campgrounds, museums, games, amusement parks,
and other events that unlocked new worlds for me. I discovered so much about the fun and
beauty in the world around me and all there was to explore and to do. These experiences also
fostered my love for the raw culture of the Burgh. I loved that my parents didnt shelter me in
the suburbs away from the sometimes compromising atmosphere of the city that bleeds black n
gold. I love visiting the Strip District, being wrapped in the smells, sounds, and colors of the city.
I craved the thick cigar and coffee scent of the Leaf n Bean, sang along to the 24-hour repeat of
Here We Go Steelers at the gear booths, and admired the colorful Indian fabrics floating on the
breeze. Downtown Pittsburgh is one of my favorite places in the world. Christmas at PPG Place,
the 3 Rivers Arts Festival, the Pittsburgh Regatta, even just marveling at the waterworks and

glass buildings in the plaza brings me closer and makes me want to reveal all Pittsburgh has to
offer. I loved exploring as a kid, and Pittsburgh is one of the greatest places to have an amazing
adventure in. I will be forever indebted to the City of Steel for raising me, a suburban Catholic
girl, with a little more grit and toughness for an extra push when I face obstacles in my life.
My childhood was an extraordinary ride unto sixth grade, until it took my on a steep curve
into seventh. To make a long and tedious story short, seventh grade was when all of my girl
classmates and friends decided that the only purpose in their life was to be accepted by the two
eighth graders- two of the meanest, shallowest, and materialistic girls I have ever met. I looked
on almost all of my friends fall into this pit of adoration, and sadly observed as they were bullied,
gossiped about, tripped, put down, and even slapped- all of which they took in stride to gain the
approval of the older girls. They swallowed any self-pride and dignity and became extensions of
the eighth graders thoughts, feelings, words, and actions. At one point I decided that such a
sacrifice must have some reward, and I tried out the method that the girls my age were living. I
was disgusted with how I acted, how I had to act to get these older girls to smile or even
acknowledge me. But I was more proud of myself, for how I quickly realized what was going on
and how I was able to keep my personality and values, even if it meant sacrificing a lot of my
friends.

I look over scenes of my life now, even short clips like Ive mentioned above, and I try to
make sense of what Ive felt my life has been up to this point. There are times when I feel as if I
could have done more, had more fun, but writing down these memories and connections really
makes me feel so incredibly grateful and blessed for my life and my childhood.
Im very happy where I am right now. Ive reviewed my life, and resolved the loose ends of
negativity and guilt and anger that have been left over from some events in the past. Im taking
every day one step at a time and am enjoying my time at CWNC as much as possible. Ive met
new people, had new experiences and opportunities, and am excited about the future. I feel as if
Ive grown up, yet kept some of my childhood passions with me. Im taking no negative baggage
from my years before, and only packing what I can adapt to as it changes with years. For
example, and as I said before, I have a special relationship with adrenaline and excitement. I
operate more efficiently with hurriedness and a balance of good stress and quick time- Im a
crunch-time star. I crave adrenaline and the fast life because Im tuned in more with my body and
mind when I have to think on my feet. This summer, I jumped off of a trestle bridge in a spur-ofthe-moment decision by me and some friends and cousins, all the same age. No adults. We were
plenty careful, but no amount of fear or any pain I felt clambering out of the water or balancing
on the bridge could erase the hot joy of anticipation and adrenaline seething through my veins
and in my core. It all felt right. The speed and quickly changing game of basketball also gets me
to this feeling, that this is where I should be, what I should be doing, and how I should be living

my life. At these times, I feel a connection to even primal ancestors as they stalked dangerous
prey. I feel a reliance on some intuition that has kept us alive for so many years, gut instinct of
what to do and how to act, and Im more alert. In the times when Im in tithe least amount of
control. I feel a smoother, natural control kick in. I become the most relaxed version of myself
under condition s of higher pressure. However, almost inversely, I love to nurture my sensual
side, getting in touch with myself and what it around me. I meditate in the mornings, catch the
sunrise, write poetry in nature, remind myself to grow in mindfulness, and sip ginger beer as I
watch the night sky. I am drawn to the speed and skill of running because Im moving, yet my
mind is calm and centered. I enter the efficiency and beauty of the running form, yet I sensualize
with myself as sense the movement of my muscles, the sweat on my back, and the repetition of
my breathing. Running distance is my escape and my refuge, the perfect unity of each half of my
being.
This is where I am right now. I am discovering about myself at heightened levels, paying
attention to what I like and how I feel and being able to apply that to my life. I am beginning to
know more about myself. At childhood, I was revealed to the world, as it was to me. With some
knowledge of what is surrounding me, I can adapt my passions and dreams to fit what needs to
fit the bill of society, twisting them slightly ever so often for a valuable reward.

I have some long-term goals for the future and a few short-term goals as well, but Id like to
be able to live life in the moment. They say that high school is some of the best years of your
life, and I dont want to miss a second of my time at CWNC. As I grow older, Id like to continue
to live out my dreams as jobs, events, and activities. I want to embrace all parts of me to be able
to also embrace wherever life takes me. With every dream I pursue, I want Jesus at my side,
guiding me to where he wants me to go. I continue to draw aspiration from my younger self to
apply to my life now and in the future. As an everyday goal, like both Randy Pausch and Jimmy
V. implied, I strive to live every day to the fullest and to enjoy my life surrounded by people who
love me. I will complete my legacy at CWNC as a leader and a friend, and will continue to take
every opportunity to create myself into the person I have always wanted to be. If I work hard
enough, that person will come around when I self-evaluate again, and will be there to thank her
past for strengthening her future as I am and I will now.