There are those of us who reside in the glory years of high school and then there are those who haven’t stopped running from them. I happen to be the latter, and - having gone to three different high schools - I’ve clocked some serious miles. I wish I could say the switcheroos were because I was gifted, or because my father relocated each year, but those would be lies. The truth is, I simply didn’t fit in – socially, academically, psychographically – awful, awful times, minus a few highlights. Until I finally left San Francisco (my hometown) and landed at boarding school in Colorado. Why I’m telling you this is because I was reminded today that motherhood is so much like high school. The only difference is that you can’t run up to your dorm room. You have to live in your own mistakes, fears, bad haircuts, every second of every day and learn to love it.
My strategy, of course, is by using humor. You wouldn’t be here if I didn’t make you laugh (I know it can’t be because of the hair.) But finding the funny in the not-so-funny fuels me to be a good parent. A skill I wish I had crafted in my teens. A skill a good friend tried to teach me long ago (high school #2), but failingly. Probably her only failure, actually. Most of you know Teresa Strasser as Adam Carolla’s “news girl” on Free FM. Others know her as While You Were Out’s original host. Anyway, she and I were friends at ages 15, 16, 19, I think, and then…I don’t know what happened. But I am including a portion of a letter she wrote to my editor today, unsolicited. I plan to post the entire letter, eventually, but for now just want to keep it in my pocket. Being an outsider, I’ve finally learned, is your golden ticket in. To life as a parent, a student and friend.
Simply because you have nowhere else to go.
“…being different in high school is just one long national nightmare, but now she (Sugar Mama) uses it to communicate how at least in the world of motherhood, that’s something to which we could all aspire. As a fellow writer and graduate of Lick-Wilmerding High School (unfortunate name, I know), I am proud of my girl.”
Teresa Strasser
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Teresa. xoxo
Boy, I can feel the pain in your writing here, Cynthia, and I can also see how what you went through in high school has made you the compassionate, open-minded and, yes, really funny person you are today. Bless Teresa for writing this letter. Please do post the entire thing whenever you’re comfortable doing that.
And yes, that is the most unfortunate name for a high school I have ever heard! Sounds like it should have been the h.s. name in a bad teen movie!
Cynthia, I just posted on this, with a link back here, over on Parent Talk Today. (http://www.parenttalktoday.com) Thanks for the great food for thought!
Kathy
Even Marilyn had issues…