"It is never too late to gain appreciation for all you have in your life."
I was telling Katherine, my hometown neighbor, about how her burgeoning adulthood was going to bring about many realizations. Few she would be able to actually comprehend. Katherine was always a very concerned individual. During my teen years, when she would have been under the age of ten, I became her curiosity confidante. Why was this thing like this? And when boys do so and so, what does that mean? Is there any real reason as to why our parents act this way or otherwise? The questions became more significant as she grew in age. And during my teen years, I felt a certain amount of pride in Katherine seeking my counsel rather than that of her own older sisters'. What I learned through the years though, is that little Katherine never acted upon my words of advice. Rather, she responded as would her peers, or she continued as she would have before I shared my thoughts on this or that matter.
I reached my early twenties. Katherine was now in her late teen years. She had many things ahead of her and seemingly so little behind her. She had become very much a snob.
"Well yeah, I like my life for the most part." Katherine answered without meeting my eyes.
"I'm just saying," I continued apprehensively, not wanting to give Katherine the impression that I was preaching, because really, I was only a former neighbor of hers, "you seem to be entirely fed up with all that is around you. And you always talk about wanting out of wherever you are or whatever you're doing. But you're still very young. Also, very in control of what you do. So make a life that you're in love with if you're so unhappy."
I received nothing in response. This was another shift in Katherine's character that I had noticed taking place over the years. During our younger days Katherine was bubbly to the point of explosion. She bounced from house to house along our street, campaigning for others to join her on a visit to the canal, or to accompany her in saying hello to the horses belonging to the Scinada family, and on bike rides in the church parking lot. Throughout my years after moving away from home I noticed that eager demeanor had begun to fizzle out. Katherine was now a few bubbles floating atop a glass of forgotten champagne.
I was telling Katherine, my hometown neighbor, about how her burgeoning adulthood was going to bring about many realizations. Few she would be able to actually comprehend. Katherine was always a very concerned individual. During my teen years, when she would have been under the age of ten, I became her curiosity confidante. Why was this thing like this? And when boys do so and so, what does that mean? Is there any real reason as to why our parents act this way or otherwise? The questions became more significant as she grew in age. And during my teen years, I felt a certain amount of pride in Katherine seeking my counsel rather than that of her own older sisters'. What I learned through the years though, is that little Katherine never acted upon my words of advice. Rather, she responded as would her peers, or she continued as she would have before I shared my thoughts on this or that matter.
I reached my early twenties. Katherine was now in her late teen years. She had many things ahead of her and seemingly so little behind her. She had become very much a snob.
"Well yeah, I like my life for the most part." Katherine answered without meeting my eyes.
"I'm just saying," I continued apprehensively, not wanting to give Katherine the impression that I was preaching, because really, I was only a former neighbor of hers, "you seem to be entirely fed up with all that is around you. And you always talk about wanting out of wherever you are or whatever you're doing. But you're still very young. Also, very in control of what you do. So make a life that you're in love with if you're so unhappy."
I received nothing in response. This was another shift in Katherine's character that I had noticed taking place over the years. During our younger days Katherine was bubbly to the point of explosion. She bounced from house to house along our street, campaigning for others to join her on a visit to the canal, or to accompany her in saying hello to the horses belonging to the Scinada family, and on bike rides in the church parking lot. Throughout my years after moving away from home I noticed that eager demeanor had begun to fizzle out. Katherine was now a few bubbles floating atop a glass of forgotten champagne.
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