Adolescence

Adolescence is a cruel time in our lives. As a parent and deeply loving step-parent I am feeling adolescence is almost as cruel to adults as it is to the teen person. I do not hope to remember or relive this time dealing with the adolescent person but somehow I feel the need to post -I want to write my thoughts for the blog.

I recall some pretty poor judgements I made at 17. I am quite lucky that I am alive and that I am not in jail. I apologize to my parents for some embarrassment caused during that year and I thank them for their support during that year. 17 was quite rough amidst the fun I was having on Yale Ave. Al was a full acting-out 14 year old and I was fully engulfed in trying to etch out my identity before leaving home for a college education on the other side of the country. That summer landed me in Judge Barrell's chambers, fired from the yogurt shop job at the mall, driving pretty irresponsibly in my Jeep, and really struggling to find my place.

Luck - I remember clearly calling the courts to change the date of my court appearance for trespassing at "the pit". The court clerk told me, "That is never done - you have to appear on the date you were given." I told her the truth, that I was leaving for college back East in August and the court date was in September - I wouldn't be able to make it. The clerk then replied, "hmmm let me see what I can do, I've never had that excuse before." Then, the embarrassment of going to court with my father, who had gone to law school with Judge Barrell, who knew the name well because of Al. There was some serious dysfunction all around that year.

I have to look back and remind myself, despite all that my parents gave me, despite myself and some pretty poor decisions - I made it. We got through it and life is pretty good these days. I need to remember this and imprint it on my 37 year old brain as I converse with the 17 year old brain.