I turned 20 this weekend. I think I'm still in denial over the fact that I'm not a teenager anymore, let alone a child. I don't know how to be an adult yet, and turning 20 makes me feel like I should be a real adult, like I should step it up and know what I'm doing. Growing up is a lot of pressure, so I look back every chance I get at the beautiful childhood I was lucky enough to have. So I'm saying thank you to the little memories that made me who I am today.
Thank you to the books I loved from such a young age. The ones that made me laugh, cry, and sneak a flashlight into my room just so I could stay up all night reading. The books my dad and I read together, the ones that stacked up higher and higher in my room, because I couldn't bear to get rid of them. The books and authors that inspired me to become the English major I am today, I thank you.
Thank you to the sport of basketball, the sport that pushed me to the limits of my mental and physical abilities. To the sports I played before I chose just basketball that taught me to love competition. To the coaches that fueled my passion, taught me everything I needed to know, and challenged me to be better than I thought I could be. The coaches that taught me how to love the game that would become a huge part of my life, I thank you.
Thank you to my childhood friends, you know who you are, who accepted me through all my stages, even the awkward middle school years. To the friends I ran around the playground or the neighborhood with, the friends who pretended to be horses in the third grade or shared their pudding at lunch. To the crazy sleepovers and the sugar-highs, and to the endless, endless laughs, I thank you.
Thank you to my favorite teachers, and my not so favorite teachers, who taught me how to love learning no matter what. To the ones who would read out loud and challenge us to improve even in the third grade. The ones who gave me book recommendations when I ran out of things to read, and understood my bouts of extreme shyness. To the teachers who kept telling me to ask about the way the world works, so that my generation and I could better it.
Thank you to my grandparents, who never missed a sports game or a band concert if they could help it. The grandparents I got to hang out with a few days a week when I was little, who taught me all the card games as a kid. To the grandparents who inspire me with their unconditional love for each other and the big beautiful family they created, I thank you.
Thank you to my sisters, who bothered me endlessly because it's in their job description. That's what sisters are for, after all. Thank you to the older sister who babysitted and put up with our shenanigans, but was also endlessly proud of everything I've accomplished. Who inspired me with her endless confidence and independence. Thank you to the younger sister who challenged me to be my best self so she would have someone to look up to. The sister who was and still is crazier than me in the best way, who is better than me at a lot of things and doesn't realize it. The sister that teaches me so much about life and how to live it well. Thank you to my guaranteed best friends for life.
Thank you to my parents, when there really are no other words that can express how grateful I am to you. To the parents who pushed me out of my comfort zone and got me involved in all the things so my shy self would make some of my lifelong friends at a young age. The parents that fed my reading addiction and made me play basketball. The parents that let me choose what would make me happiest in life, and struck the perfect balance between being there for me and helping me figure life out for myself. Thank you for loving me so much, even though no kid is easy, and I am so fortunate to have parents like you.
Wow, I am so lucky. Thanks for the memories, childhood. I wish I could stay, but it's time to move on. Goodbye carefree childhood, hello hopefully carefree adulthood.
