A Lesson Learned by 18 years: Memoir

A memoir teaching a valuable lesson of loving and giving.

Maria Robinson once said, “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” I have often wondered how I can make a change, but the true answer is I must be changed first. In the many circles of humanity, we can all agree of two common virtues: love and give. How you achieve those virtues depends on your desire to achieve them. People say history repeats itself. If this is true, will we not make the same mistakes again and inhumanness prized over morality? Paul Hewson said,” The world is more malleable than you think and it’s waiting for you to hammer it into shape.” Thomas Edison would agree with Hewson, moreover, Edison states, “If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astonish ourselves.” Love is what connects success and morality and this memoir will demonstrate this very principle.

What this thing was I did not know and did not want to find out. All I knew was if it’s green than I shouldn’t eat it. This broccoli did not look good or smell good; it did not even appeal to me. Eighteen years later my philosophy hasn’t really changed, but one thing I do know is it keeps the man in me alive. If broccoli really gives me strength or good looks then so be it; after all, I want to find the perfect girl. As a toddler I would literally gag, almost vomiting, on this supposedly poisonous food, but guess what, I am alive!

Tetris Attack and playing with my action figured “mean guys” was the life. I am astonished how my mother constantly, willingly, let me play Tetris with her. What motherly love and care, I cannot fathom. But I am on the wrong side, for my controller was not completely plugged in, but, hey, I was one happy Tetris baby. Life was good.

Innocence and complete bliss, is pain even real? Well, if you saw the kid hanging upside down on the monkey bars who fell down, than the question would be solved. But wait, that kid who fell down walked into the class room by his teacher waiting for his mother to take him to the hospital. That boy was me. “If my mom really loved me, she wouldn’t have taken me to the hospital,” I might have thought.  But moms always know what is best. Whether it be a spanking or some stitching, that scar will soon heal to make a whole and complete body.

I took words very seriously until I turned seventeen. My dad bugging me with the latest who I like fad really embarrassed me and still does. However, did you know what I learned? My dad loves me! Words and actions that make one mad doesn’t produce a habitual hatred for that person.

Disneyland, that word conveys a big ferris wheel with Mickey the Mouse for me. Disneyland isn’t cheap. Going there more than two times brings back memories. I am a cheapskate, so for my parents sacrificing so much for me teaches me a lesson: looking for the interests of others. When I see a person wanting a Twix or a Reese’s, will I get them what they want? Giving is a virtue.

If anyone thinks dentists are nice than you are messed up. I recall having several cavities and having a root canal, but to make it worse, I think the numbing wasn’t on. Dentists have taught me responsibility with some prices. However, if you think my price was big, I wonder what my parents receipt was. Never have they raised their voice at me due to poor my dental care. My parents are sensitive. Sensitivity and a calm voice is what anyone will hear.

If I were to name one event that changed me the most, I would say moving to the state of Idaho. When I moved, I could not believe what was happening. I was mad. I did not understand what my parents were doing. But what they did was best. I thought I would meet cowboys, but I was wrong. As a new teen I had some maturing to undergo. By me being outside of my box, I had undergone friendships and many trials that made me the man I am now. Wherever you are, hard times will come and go. There will be conflicts in many shapes and sizes, but faith is the victory that overcomes the world?

I had a hard time at school concerning relationships and stress. My faith during my 8^th, 9th, and a little of my 10^th grade years was my video games. I released my problems in life at something I loved to do: video games. I liked killing people in video games and having self-praise by winning games. Now those games are hardly played. I can’t recall much of those years pertaining to my memoir, but I can tell you this, I wasted my time. My family still loves me. I am still accepted despite my failures and my downfalls.

My mom’s baking is the best! I love her sugar cookies, snicker doodle cookies, and her strawberry crepes. The warm sugary-dough scent and the strawberry, whip cream crepes are one of my favorites. You can’t forget the bananas. Or how about seeing all these ants (cars) before your very eyes as you are shredding this white, slushy mountain? My mother and father took the time to make me happy. Nothing but love is all I can see. Or my grandpa, he let me mow with him all summer; for money! What undeserved grace and what undeserved mercy (considering that I am a slow learner), my grandpa had given me. As I recall these events I am ashamed by this Bible verse, “[Love] seeketh not her own” (1 Corinthians 13:5). I would soon know what this verse truly means.

My first day at Northland Camp was sort of weird. I am not much a smiling type of person, but seeing people who are joyful and how they helped others changed my life. How? Because I found joy when I could not find it. I thought morality would give me some sense of satisfaction but it did not. It was a standard I could never keep. By having Jesus Christ in my heart and knowing that it is His grace that covers my sin, I can have joy. Faith has action. Is your faith sitting faith or working faith?

Our school requires community service, but did you know that community service comes from the heart for the Christian life? Community service this year has taught me a lesson by observing an old lady. People want to be loved. People want to be talked to. As Christians, we are called to manifest God’s love. This love is not blind or self-seeking but it searches to satisfy others. This lady, who I helped, wanted company. Her desire for wanting company showed me that love is not passive but active.

Love is a verb. Love cares for others and seeks for their own welfare. By loving others we can change others. By doing something we can make a profit and accomplish a great work. In the beginning of this memoir, I mentioned,” Love is what connects success and morality.” But love only comes from the cross of Jesus Christ our Lord. Love is not true love if the cross is not valued. Success is not true success if Christ is not in the picture. Maria Robinson once said, “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” Will you start your new life today?

Author's Note

Please show me any grammar mistakes or how I can be more persuasive in this write. This is a grammar grade and I want this to be a 100. Thank-you.

Reviews

[Ice QueenJen]

I thought it was very heartfelt, with strong emotions. I saw no grammar errors either, nice story Ethan!

[Ama May Cooper]

Reading this i am suddenly hit with your intellegence, the way your brain works is brilliant hte thought and care taken with your words, the interesting brain waves we get to follow while reading this piece. I love the examples the way there jotted in with playful jokes from your childhood, the honesty of a childs mind dotted in with a mature structure its absoulutly brilliant.

[Erin]

I didn't see any grammar problems...
I love how...ADD this piece seemed to be at times. You went from vegetables to video games to moving to your mom's baking. It was a pretty awesome piece to read, I admit. I like this one a lot.
Grammar? I didn't see anything...so 100.
PBP

[Voice11]

I love this piece of work. I think there are two central arguments though that do not make one point. Are you writing about what love is or where it comes from? I like the use of quotes also but it is a little too condensed in the beginning. Great write my friend! Very deep!

[A.Lee]

Okay, you asked for help with grammar so be prepared!

"As a toddler I would literally gag, almost vomiting, on this supposedly poisonous food, but guess what, I am alive!" I would try --> As a toddler I would literally gag, almost vomiting, on this supposedly poisonous food, but guess what? I am alive!

"Tetris Attack and playing with my action figured “mean guys” was the life." Did you mean "action figure"? If you meant it the way you wrote it, I apologize. I wasn't sure.

"But I am on the wrong side, for my controller was not completely plugged in, but, hey, I was one happy Tetris baby." Technically, this is fine as is, but I might change it so there aren't so many commas all on one spot. Maybe toss a semicolon in there.

"My dad bugging me with the latest who I like fad really embarrassed me and still does. However, did you know what I learned?" ---> My dad KEPT bugging me... or My dad BUGGED me... and then --> "However, DO you know what I learned?"

"Disneyland, that word conveys a big ferris wheel with Mickey the Mouse for me." I would say ---> "Disneyland. That word conveys..."

"I recall having several cavities and having a root canal, but to make it worse, I think the numbing wasn’t on." Again, technically this is fine, but I'd put a semicolon before "but" instead of the comma.

"I did not understand what my parents were doing. But what they did was best." You shouldn't start a sentence with the word "But". You can combine those two or change the second sentence somehow.

"I love her sugar cookies, snicker doodle cookies, and her strawberry crepes." -- "snicker doodle" should be one word "snickerdoodle"

"The warm sugary-dough scent and the strawberry, whip cream crepes are one of my favorites." Take out the hyphen in 'sugary-dough'. Just say "sugary dough" and it should be "WHIPPED cream"

"There will be conflicts in many shapes and sizes, but faith is the victory that overcomes the world?" Did you mean to put a question mark there? Either change it to a period or switch the words "faith" and "is"

"My faith during my 8th, 9th, and a little of my 10th grade years was my video games." -- In papers, if its a number under 100 you're supposed to write it out. "eighth" "ninth" and "tenth"

Those are all the grammatical mistakes I saw. Nicely written. I think you'll get a good grade on it.

[The Analog Kid]

This is one of your better pieces. Good ending.

[Daniel Gardner]

I'm pretty bad on my grammar too so I can't really help you in that aspect but I did like that tale. It helps one appreciate the need to give freely. Great job.

[Tina Kline]

I agree with the other reviewers, those last lines sum everything up about life for everyone. Excellent job on this.

[Manda]

wow! this was excellent! i also loved the last few lines! so perfect for the ending! keep it up!

[deadly healer]

i love the last two sentences.