I stopped trying to go to sleep at 3:30 a.m. I felt too excited to waste my time lying in bed. I’d go to my college classes later that day, and I always wanted to make a good impression there—especially since I was only a sophomore in high school. What’s a little sleep lost? I thought. I’ll ma...
As I turned to open my locker door I saw Breana rounding the bend. I glanced at my watch. It was 7:40 a.m.—the time when Little Miss Anti-Sunshine always plopped herself down by my locker and delivered her typical “gloom and doom” report on life. Here we go again , I thought as I rolled my eyes. ...
One winter I decided that I wanted to bring in the new year with a bang. So instead of going to a church service with my mom, I went to a party. I was having a lot of fun. The music was great, the food was awesome, and all of my high school friends were there. Overheard One of my friends start...
It was the summer that I turned 16. My mother, stepfather, brother, sister and I piled into our antique 1936 Plymouth and began a cross-country journey from Georgia to California. I wasn't particularly fond of my parents at that age. Like most teens, I was sure they wanted to ruin my life. They p...
Children don't just accidentally “grow up” to become emotionally healthy, mature, compassionate individuals, they need to have their parents around often so they can see their values put into action. We need to share our life stories and experiences with our children, and most of all, we need to ...
Harnessing the almost lost art of memorization