Coming of Age.

Roll your eyes if you must,

but I just read Anne of Green Gables.

My sister and I have never liked

"coming-of-age stories,"

mostly because that means that the main character

doesn't fall in love at the end.

But this book is everything good about growing up.

Working hard

and getting smarter.

Getting prettier.

Getting better at things,

and not making those mistakes you used to.

Realizing that people can love you.

Quieting down,

even though the things you have to say

mean a little bit more now.

Looking back

and seeing how far you've come.

...

Coming of age stories are actually the best.

Maybe you have to have come of age

to appreciate them.

Those kids don't know.

Today at UVU,

I saw a group of kids,

probably ages 10-13,

sitting in the hall,

huddled around an iPad.

They were playing

The Man Who Can't Be Moved

by The Script.

So if one day you wake up

and find that you're missing me

and your heart starts to wonder

where on this earth I could be...

And I thought to myself,

"Those kids don't know.

No kid does.

They listen to the songs all right,

but they've never felt like that."

It wasn't until college

that I really started relating

to the words in songs.

I remember the first time I could relate

to a Taylor Swift song.

That was a low moment.

After I broke up for the first time,

I couldn't stop listening to breakup songs--

just because there was something so new

and so interesting about it,

now that I knew what they were talking about.

I looked at those kids today

and I got a tear in my eye.

It's sad to have to grow up.

But it would be sadder not to.

God bless the child.

Today, on the way to work,

as I was really not wanting to go,

I turned on some music.

And the song that came on shuffle was

God Bless the Child by Billie Holiday.

"Yes the strong gets more

while the weak ones fade.

Empty pockets don't ever make the grade.

Mama may have,

Papa may have,

but God bless the child

that's got his own."

It made me laugh.

Touche, shuffle.

I'll go to work.

Four Square.

The saddest part of any day

is when you're playing four square

and everyone leaves

one-by-one

to go home.

And you're the only one

who wants to keep playing.

It's like a metaphor for growing up.

via

Home.

Today I went to church in the building where I grew up.

This is it. Banisters perfect for sliding.

I probably should have said

in the building I grew up going to.

But I think it was right the first way.

I did grow up there.

At every turn, there was someone I knew,

whom I was happy to see.

A building full of lifelong friends.

Most of my Sunday school class was together

for the first time in years.

And I wonder why we wasted so much time back then

not being better friends.

We were all each other had.

But I hope the love I have for them now can make up for it.

Today, I was at home.