things I want my kids to know about high school

things I want my kids to know about high school

If you love someone let them know.

Always reach out. It may feel uncomfortable, but you never know when somebody needs you. If you see someone that is alone, or you think just needs a friend, be that friend.

Be genuine. If you care about someone, they should be able to tell through your actions & the way you treat them. Treat them like Jesus would. He cares about everybody individually and you should too. They are all different.

If you don't care for someone, use that for fuel to find a way to appreciate them. Everybody is special and even though you might not be best friends, you can still get along.

Take your time to actually internalize what your teachers are telling you. Being knowledgable and a well rounded human being is better than sluffing off your classes and just getting enough of a grade to graduate.

Don't let anybody define you. You define yourself and love what you have to offer. There is nobody like you.

Wear what makes you comfortable. Nobody cares how many Alex & Ani bracelets you have. You don't have to dress for other people. Wear the sweats. Love the sweats. If you want to look like you're on fire, you damn right will look like Alicia Keys got hold of a blowtorch and some gasoline.

You will be remembered for how you influenced people. Not by material things/ if you played varsity/ who you kissed/ popularity. Make it count.

Make friends with the administration. I have found some of my best friends to be on the staff at LP. I know they genuinely care & love you. Plus, if you need to makeup attendance school/need to have something done, they will definitely help a sister out.

Teachers are not out to get you.

Popularity is dumb. Really really dumb. & nobody cares.

Apply for scholarships. (please)

Participate in as much as you can. Experiencing high school is so important. Go to games, plays, activities, assemblies, concerts, etc etc etc. & make sure you actively participate. even if it doesn't seem like your cup of tea. You might just surprise yourself. you will come to have so much more love for the school & it makes it easier to see how talented the students are around you.

Look to serve. Everybody needs a helping hand & if you can make someone's load a little lighter for the day, you have done something great.

Now I'm awake.

Right now it's 4:06 am. I can't sleep 

Right now I'm thinking about my dad who gets less sleep than I do. He leaves for work at 5:00 every morning. I hear him toss and turn every night. He works hard. 

Right now my eyes are watering because my screen is still too bright.

Right now I'm thinking about Em. I really don't want to be 126 miles away from her (I've counted) we've been together our whole lives and I think sometimes we take that for granted. She is my best friend. I can't count the times she's listened through my stupid boy problems or pity laughed at my dumb dad jokes or snuggled with me when I was sad. I'm going to lose it when we move into our college dorms.

I'm crying now. But not too loud otherwise it will wake her up. I love her a lot. 

Right now I'm wondering about my future kids and what different worlds we'll grow up in. I don't know if I'm excited or scared. Both. 

Right now I'm thinking about her. And she's far away but I know that when she's even farther away it will be harder to help. And I want to fix her problems but I can't. I want to be there for her but I can't. Maybe we'll send handwritten letters. 

Right now I'm thinking I could've been in love but I was too scared to admit it. Now it's too late because he's different and he thinks about her instead. 

Have you truly forgiven someone if you still can't trust them? 

I don't know the answer. 

I don't want to know. 

I don't know.  

Right now I want to lay in the middle of the road like they do on The Notebook because I want to feel the silence. I want to feel like I'm the only one awake. 

My dad just turned in bed. I'll invite him to lay in the road with me. We can look at the sky like we do in August and maybe God will give us a couple of shooting stars. 

the truth about poetry

for all you kids out there who feel like you're lost
if you feel like writing's not your thing
if you are in a creative lull
if poetry isn't speaking to you anymore

if you want the truth about poetry, you have to find what poetry means to you.
you have to figure out your process
not nelson's
not your mother's
not mine

yours.

this is the truth about poetry

the 7th day (rough)

woah is that a hotdog??

nah well it's a rough draft. more to come.

MAD LIBS YO

rules that keep you in school feelin real cool. word

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eHsn4uNeMoYmNPLPneQhjp6owkZPDVFWdSNxycd9J7k/edit?usp=sharing

M.A.S.H. 2010

After much searching, the nirvana of childhood love has been FOUND. (5 childhood journals later...)
Please enjoy the fact that I have a butler(??) and that I'm going to have a HAIRBALL as a specialty item. So if you see me in 30 years don't forget to ask about Sally, Susie, Ben, Greg, Pam, Bruce... And all 42 of the other kids I'm going to crank out. See you at the altar, Carson M.

Drive Safe

She said 

"Drive safe was always my I love you"

And it was like your 

next-to-me smile 

was tangible. 

And I didn't even have to 

look over to know you were thinking the same thing I was.  

And no it's not love 

but it's not like either. 

And maybe we're floating 

somewhere in between

But I can't explain to you 

how right it feels 

in those 

late for curfew 

had too much to drink 

(hot cocoa) we're Mormon...

saying goodbye 17 times because 

talking about peachios 

and our lack of butts 

is more important than 

the bags under our eyes 

moments those 

future car wishing

future trip planning

future 

future

our future

discussions.

because when I met you, 

me turned into we 

and we've been 

working together ever since. 

If you asked me last year 

if I would ever consider another 

relationship in high school 

I would've laughed. 

Probably for a long time. 

Yet here I am. 

I'm the 3 am talks kind of girl. 

That tilt-a-whirl 

kiss in the back of the car kind of girl.

And him. 

that closet from 

savers kind of boy. 

That skip school 

poetry blues

kid next door kind of boy.

So as you're going 

home tonight, my darling, 

don't forget to 

put your seatbelt on. 

Drive safe. 

Drive safe. 

Drive safe. 

check out the blogpost by the amazing Carter J Pratt that inspired this poem here