Teenage years
The Joy of Independence
My name is Nevaeh Keitt, an independent nineteen-year-old. I pretty much prepared myself for every prom and homecoming dance and I'm not used to the usual big family traditions anymore since my 10th-grade year of high school. I moved to Japan with my dad who was offered a department of defense job, who was also pretty much a hands-off dad except for when it came to my education, anything else I did on my own. I decided to give my life to Christ at the age of 10, taught myself how to do my hair, and how to become a confident young woman. I believe my sense of maturity and independence was born from a lack of relationship with my mom as a little girl. Ever since I could remember my parents were already separated and as I grew into a teenager I was mostly raised by my dad along with my sister while my mom moved to Atlanta. With my mom not there to style my hair, plan my birthday parties, or guide me from a woman’s perspective, as other moms did, I sometimes felt alone and different from other kids at my school. In middle school I found myself becoming my mom at times when I would be responsible for cooking meals, cleaning the house, and unfortunately overcoming obstacles through middle and high school. I say that it was unfortunate because my dad was not easy to talk to, he was not empathetic enough for me to open up to, which led me to try and deal with problems on my own. However, as I began to grow spiritually I surrounded myself with people who were strong in their faith and relationship with God such as my grandmothers. I truly believe that the exposure to my grandmothers prepared me for the unexpected journey I would take during the Summer of 2016 because I would constantly spend time with them and receive spiritual guidance before I knew that I was moving to Japan. While in Japan it was only my dad and me, my sister graduated from high school and I felt even lonelier. It was now time to become Mom 2.0 and I had no idea how I would survive in a different country with little to no family, no mother figure, and a new school to adjust to. Sadness would come over me so many times as I didn’t have any friends and felt responsible to fix my life. Although it was hard for me to realize, it was evident that God was working the hardest during that time in my life. During my junior year, I began to realize that even during this trial it was extremely important to not only place my hope in God but to take advantage of living in a different culture. I got involved with sports which allowed me to travel not only within Japan but to Korea, I did student council, national honor society, and became the Squadron Commander of the JROTC unit at my school. I built strong relationships with friends and teachers and found a tight-knit community. By the time I graduated from high school and started college my mom and I became closer, and I now take relish in knowing that God can fill any missing gaps from my life and strengthen me through those situations. Now, as a rising sophomore in college, I depend on God to control the path in my life however I believe that faith is nothing without work which is why I’ve decided to improve areas in my life that I can control and one of those areas happen to be public speaking which brought me to Toastmasters. I am so grateful for the way my life was mapped out because I wouldn't have the strength and courage to take these steps in living my best life. Although my mom was not active in my life most of the time and my dad was hands-off, don't feel sorry for me because I take joy in telling the story of my life and I take joy in being independent, and I take joy in the decisions that I’ve made, I take joy.
By Nevaeh 3 years ago in Confessions
Mindless Ramblings of a Depressed Mind
Chapter 1: The Sperm Donor My favorite quote from one of my favorite books is “We all create stories to protect ourselves” It comes from a book I found whilst finishing up high school. I found this book, due to a singer I had been a fan of since middle school, named POE. This will all make sense, I promise you. My fingers may or may not be crossed as I type any of these promises. As I am sure you are conscious of how the ADHD/Depressed brain is concocted. Welcome to the Mindless Ramblings of a Depressed Mind.
By Amber De’Ann3 years ago in Confessions
Mindless Ramblings of a Depressed Mind
Chapter 2: The Egg Donor Here’s to my mother. The woman who wouldn’t put up with a man cheating on her, however, took joy in making her daughter feel like she could never amount to anything. My mother, how exactly shall I describe her? Half woman, half goat, one hundred percent demon? I was very sheltered growing up. I remember sitting in a restaurant with my mother, a place we went to often. Occasionally one cook would come sit with us and talk. Denise, sure that name works. Denise seemed to know everyone. I remember after this cook departed from our table. Denise quietly whispered to me “never date a Greek man, they are known to cheat” Me not knowing what anything other “Greek and Man” meant was just left perplexed. Also, jokes on her, according to my DNA test I have some Greek in me. Also, a lot of my childhood was spent in Greek restaurants.
By Amber De’Ann3 years ago in Confessions
When Being Beautiful Isn't So Fun
My first boyfriend, David, broke up with me using the line, “I just don’t want to date anyone right now.” He was lying, but don’t worry, I didn’t believe him. I had a gaggle of girl cousins who did not like me for reasons I was very able to sympathize with. My sister had enchanted one of their boyfriends and earned the spite of the entire group. His loss was to be lamented as he was a complete buck. Even though no one expected it, I did lament with my spurned cousin, if only from a distance. If I'd gotten closer I could have lost a limb simply for being the younger sister of the girl who stole him. As a result, my cousins, who could not get revenge on my older sister, were more than willing to share the details of David’s defection with me. They described the situation sparing no detail: the girl he was with, the songs played at the dance I missed, everything.
By Stephanie Van Orman3 years ago in Confessions
Three Feet From My Head
I was sitting in the library at one of the computer stations at my high school. I was excited because I was expecting an email from my long-distance boyfriend. There were only four computer stations. Three were in a row and one was off a bit by itself. That was everyone's favorite computer, but Emily was already seated at it. So, I had taken one at the end of the row. It took forever to log into a computer, get your browser up, and open your email in those days. I was in the middle of the process when this guy sat down one seat away from me.
By Stephanie Van Orman3 years ago in Confessions
A Couple Benches
Rob was really cute. He was so cute I wondered if he was wearing makeup. No one had skin that perfect or a face that pretty. Honestly, he was a creature out of my daydreams. One specific daydream, in fact. When I was in school, there was no phrase more welcome than, “We have a new kid in our grade.” That was the only way you were going to meet someone new in a school that went from kindergarten to grade twelve in Magrath, a town that was six blocks by six blocks. I remember practically putting my hands together and praying, “Please let it be a boy. Please let him live across the street from me. Let him be handsome and let him think I'm pretty.” I remember passing this guy in the halls and thinking, Lord, you got part of it right. He's a boy. He's handsome. He doesn't live across the street from me. He has no classes with me and we'll never know if he thinks I'm pretty!
By Stephanie Van Orman3 years ago in Confessions
Addiction
Introduction What is addiction? Addiction is the fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance or activity. Addiction can be applied to practically anything whether it's a drug, alcohol, gambling, love, sex, coffee, cigarettes, exercise, porn, food, music, movies, material things or even money.
By Johnny V3 years ago in Confessions
A Reason for the Season
I thought back to all my holidays past and I have genuinely loved every single one. There were some odd things that have occurred on holidays–like when one cousin went to jail, or when an ax-murderer shared our Christmas dinner, or even spending an entire evening trying to find out who one of your blood relatives even is–its always some random auntie. I even consulted my honorary PIC for every holiday, and she had nothing to add (save for the bit about Aunt Sharon).
By Lolly Paige Lennox3 years ago in Confessions
Carp, Catholicism and Culture Clash
Carp, Catholicism and Culture Clash – A collection of Millennium Mishaps. Ever since he swept into my school cafeteria dressed like a film noire detective back in 1998, I knew I was going to marry Eoin and have his babies. He took a little longer to come around to the idea, but by the end of 1999 we were engaged and facing our first major dilemma – whose family to spend Christmas with.
By Angel Whelan3 years ago in Confessions
The Truth of Consequences
Oh, dear. Oh, dear… This is a true story, and one of those holidays that still crushes me. It was a typical Canadian Thanksgiving, meaning that it was celebrated by immigrants and took place earlier in the year than the one celebrated by our neighbours to the south. With my family, it was West Indian fare mixed in with turkey, pasta, salads, cakes and all the dishes that friends and family could bring over in the growing autumn cold. My mother was in charge of the kitchen, leading the other housewives and cousins and aunts and other female relatives whom I knew since I was a child. My father, as was common with the men in our families, had sports as a distraction on television (football and maybe hockey), or played dominoes on foldable wood and metal chairs and tables. Kids, if we were smart, had commandeered a television that was available in the basement and had our VCR ready to go with a choice of videos brought over or recently borrowed for the day (yes, the 1980s were a very different time). I would sometimes join them, but I was becoming a teenager. Most of the kids there were too young for me to play with, and the one who were older were not there (other friends and other events took over their lives). I was on my own. And I did not mind. I did not want to watch another comedy whose ending I could predict from the opening credits…or tape cover. I did not follow football or hockey (with the latter, I waited only for the playoffs), and with the kitchen, it was a no-go zone until I was called down to deliver grace and then eat. That would mean me, my room, and my guitar.
By Kendall Defoe 3 years ago in Confessions
6 Big Things Things You Learn Joining a Rock Band
Spoiler alert: No band I was ever in became successful. Not even slightly. My music career was an unremitting failure. If you’ve come here to learn about music, forget it. I know as much about that as the next useless dork.
By Jamie Jackson3 years ago in Confessions
