I really enjoy Orson Scott Card's books. I didn't know he was Mormon until I was about 23, I think. He was the guest lecturer at Brigham Young University's annual symposium Life, the Universe, and Everything. One of my roommate's was in charge of contacting people to write and present papers on that year's theme. For 3 months she bugged me to write a paper to present on the History and Evolution of the Fairy Tale; I was super-busy and declined. (I wish I had written it now because I've done a lot of research on the subject and how they are similar and different from culture to culture. Interesting stuff.)
When I started Junior High School, I had never attended a public school before. I hated it! The things we did in 7th grade, I had done the previous year at my private school. I did NOT want to attend. (Two of my cousin's cousins went to school with me--they can tell you.) My English teacher recognized that I was unhappy; it might have been the crying and hanging out alone at recess. My dad knew that I was having a hard time and didn't want to go to school because I had no friends. He told me to take a book with me everyday. His awesome advice: If you have a book with you wherever you go, then you always have a friend with you.
Ms. Fosdick saw me reading all the time and encouraged me to write. One day she pulled Ender's Game off her bookshelf and told me I would love it. I did! Those kids were like me! They were put in advanced classes. They had stomach problems because they understood things that probably should have been beyond their age. And adults trusted them and expected them to be responsible.
Eventually things got better and I discovered that not only was I good at art, literature, music, dance and anything creative, but I was really good at math and sports. People would ask me for help with their math homework. I was cool because I played basketball, volleyball, and ran track. The transition from Jr. High to High School was a lot harder.
When I dropped out of school in the 11th grade people were unkind. But I showed them. I got accepted and pursued by some of the top universities in the country and chose to attend Brigham Young University. (My dad wouldn't let me move to Baltimore to study at the Peabody Conservatory of Music at Johns Hopkins. He said I was too young to live in a huge city like that so far from home. Probably a good thing. I don't think I would be an active member of the church had I made a different decision.) Going to college was the best thing that ever happened to me. I met people who were like me. They had the same interests. The subjects of my research papers were interesting to my peers. People actually wanted to know what I thought and have intellectual discussions. My dad printed every paper I wrote and left them in the waiting room of his office with Time magazine and Sports Illustrated and discussed my thoughts, opinions, and theories with his clients
I appreciated reading this article today. Too many times the ones who get all the attention in this world are the ones who screw up, do something wrong, or throw a football. The news is full of the negative things and places too much emphasis on temporary physical things. I know there are other people out there who feel the same way and could use a little boost now and again.
Happy Reading!
Holding on to the 'others' | Mormon Times
When I started Junior High School, I had never attended a public school before. I hated it! The things we did in 7th grade, I had done the previous year at my private school. I did NOT want to attend. (Two of my cousin's cousins went to school with me--they can tell you.) My English teacher recognized that I was unhappy; it might have been the crying and hanging out alone at recess. My dad knew that I was having a hard time and didn't want to go to school because I had no friends. He told me to take a book with me everyday. His awesome advice: If you have a book with you wherever you go, then you always have a friend with you.
Ms. Fosdick saw me reading all the time and encouraged me to write. One day she pulled Ender's Game off her bookshelf and told me I would love it. I did! Those kids were like me! They were put in advanced classes. They had stomach problems because they understood things that probably should have been beyond their age. And adults trusted them and expected them to be responsible.
Eventually things got better and I discovered that not only was I good at art, literature, music, dance and anything creative, but I was really good at math and sports. People would ask me for help with their math homework. I was cool because I played basketball, volleyball, and ran track. The transition from Jr. High to High School was a lot harder.
When I dropped out of school in the 11th grade people were unkind. But I showed them. I got accepted and pursued by some of the top universities in the country and chose to attend Brigham Young University. (My dad wouldn't let me move to Baltimore to study at the Peabody Conservatory of Music at Johns Hopkins. He said I was too young to live in a huge city like that so far from home. Probably a good thing. I don't think I would be an active member of the church had I made a different decision.) Going to college was the best thing that ever happened to me. I met people who were like me. They had the same interests. The subjects of my research papers were interesting to my peers. People actually wanted to know what I thought and have intellectual discussions. My dad printed every paper I wrote and left them in the waiting room of his office with Time magazine and Sports Illustrated and discussed my thoughts, opinions, and theories with his clients
I appreciated reading this article today. Too many times the ones who get all the attention in this world are the ones who screw up, do something wrong, or throw a football. The news is full of the negative things and places too much emphasis on temporary physical things. I know there are other people out there who feel the same way and could use a little boost now and again.
Happy Reading!
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