The Operation that Changed Me

Literature poses no interest to me. The thought of dissecting a story makes my whole body cringe. Throughout all of my English classes, we have done plenty of surgeries to the major works. Shakespeare, Mark Twain, and Robert Frost’s pieces all have been read and torn apart with worksheets and discussion periods. It is fair to say I tried to be interested. However; my interest has gone farther down hill with every year that passes, until we dug into Hills Like White Elephants…

Beginning this piece my enthusiasm was at an all time low. I could not bear the thought of another major operation. We start by discussing what we know with the class about our next patient, Hemingway’s piece. Then we slowly cut away layer by layer and page by page. We discuss treatment options and different ways the story could be interpreted. Finally, we each make our own recommendation to the patient about our thoughts and understandings. Together, we offer a cure and explanation. The process is monotonous and boring. However, something different about this patient struck my attention. No background story was given, nor the intention to provide such information. To understand this tricky patient we had to dig deep into the space between the lines.

By asking my fellow surgeons how to interpret the work, we found the meaning and unlocked the mystery. None of us could have done it alone. The key was to read like a professor and look at the objects each word could represent. Incredible. I am still in a state of disbelief from this whole whirlwind. It did not start to sink in until I was sitting at church and our pastor started to describe the hidden messages in the scriptures. Everything was clearing up. The foggy lies I had believed about Literature were no more.

I am now very interested in dissecting any more patients possible. It is amazing to me what the author can say, without using the words. I hope to become this excited every time a new patient is presented before me. My excitement for this career has skyrocket from one author’s will to take a risk. I am so grateful for the opportunity to understand this piece and journey farther into many more.

Keeping Traditions Alive

Kootchen? No wait. Kuchen. Yes the German dessert. I must be a tad bit dyslexic because for the majority of my life I have been pronouncing it wrong, but that is beside the point. I have tried this dish numerous different times but my family has never made it homemade. My mom and I were out for our Sunday stroll to Bronson's when we discovered this wonderful treat for sale. Quite thrilled with the find, we immediately purchased the kuchen and took it home for the taste test. Sadly, it was not as good as I remembered, so my amusement level quickly dropped. Our only hope is now to attempt baking our own.
Trying recipe after recipe on the internet also proved to be a fail. We were seriously struggling with the consistency and our flavor was a little too salty. So that brought us to the last resort: calling the 90 year old full-blooded German neighbor and beg her to teach us. Reluctantly, she accepted and we made an afternoon out of the deal. Not knowing what to expect, my mom and I patiently watched the clock until it was time for Ester to arrive. Three o'clock comes and not a moment later the door bell is ringing. My emotions run wild hoping we are successful with this final attempt to make the delicious dessert.
By five thirty it has turned into quite the productive day. We completed two peach kuchen, two strawberry rhubarb kuchen, three cottage cheese kuchen, and one pan of caramel rolls. It was not an easy day. Ester was quite particular with her recipe and the order in which everything must happen; however, her knowledge of the craft was remarkable. I am so thrilled we spent the day baking. I now have the memories and brains to replicate the recipe and pass it on to the next generation as well as share it with my family now.
I never really thought not knowing how to bake kuchen could be detrimental, but to put it in perspective, a whole part of our history could have easily just been erased. Without Ester's help my mom and I would never have tried to create kuchen again. It is extremely sad neither one of us ever took the time to learn how before. I am very grateful for this experience. It has shown me how important a simple recipe can become with time and age.

Senior Stresses : /

Every person has different things that make them stressed: school, jobs, friends, or even family. However, I think there comes a point in everyone's lives where they get overwhelmed with it all. Senior year of high school. This is not a huge monumental deal to some adults who have already been through it, but at the time I think it would be safe to bet that every senior has a whole new view of a "stressful situation."
Not only do we manage the daily balance of life, but then added to our scale is scholarships, senior pictures, parents, graduation planning, and college. None of these things are stressful when handled individually. It is simply for the reason that they all pile on together! A busy day for me used to mean I had to go to school, work, and eventually squeeze in time for an algebra assignment. Now a hectic schedule is much more complex. I don't think that many people understand how much pressure is being placed upon high school. Older and more mature adults have a much better idea of the world and how life will work out. When thrown a fastball, the adults can easily swing and send it flying into the outfield. Personally, right now, I find myself just shying away from the batting box hoping to just get struck out so I can get back into my saftety zone. High school. The dugout.
Right now we are all at the top of the totem pole. Under teachers, we are the next best thing. When I was younger I could not be more excited for this role. Now that I am here I have a whole new outlook on the situation. I still am very excited for high school to end and to begin my college career, but all the extra stress has really taken a toll on my sleeping habits. Due dates have never been a problem for me, but scholarships seem to take on a whole new level of priority.
I am not intending to scare any one away or get the nerves jittering. I simply am saying to enjoy your time in school and don't try to just race through to graduation day! The memories that are being made around us each and every day are special, but they are usually overlooked. I wish I would've taken the time to relax and soak everything in from these past four years. Yes, senior year is going to be a big deal to anyone going through it, but like everything else in life: it is just a stage. I hope that by watching what the upperclassmen juggle on an everyday occasion people will start to realize how monumental this occasion really is. Graduation. A whole new aspect of life is just a few short months away. I by no means am ready, but I have learned that by starting college I am ending my high school. This realization has come quite suddenly recently. I hope to slow down and take things one day at a time. Soak it all in and handle the stress with a smile. It will be over all too soon...