The words kept repeating in my mind, sounding a cadence that quickened my too sluggish feet. With heart pounding I turned the corner, walked through the open doorway and found a seat in the back. I placed my backpack in front of me and pretended to look for something, shuffling the books and papers to keep my shaky hands busy. The school newspaper had printed my secret this morning.
“Looks like the class is full today. Did you read the Scroll this morning?”
“Interesting statistics they published.”
“You didn’t read them? The oldest college student this year is fifty-five and get this, the youngest student is fifteen. Fifteen! I bet I’ve seen whoever it is. There are a lot of kids walking around that look young, like that girl way up there with the red shirt on the second row.”
The din in the room gradually stopped as Brother Smith, the chemistry professor, started his class in the usual way – with a big bang. Everyone clapped, some whistled, as the smoke cleared from the beaker he was holding.
“Is the test on Friday going to cover chapters eight to ten or does it cover the whole book up to this point?”
“This doesn’t really have to do with chemistry but I was just wondering is it true there is a student here at Ricks that is only fifteen?” I tried not to look conspicuous while I heard “That can’t be true” and “I bet they look like a total geek” come from several other members of the class.
“What?”
“Who is it?”
“Ms. Ventura, please stand.” I didn’t move a muscle. Brother Smith looked at me. He was enjoying this. “You may as well get this over with so we can proceed with today’s lesson. Please stand so everyone can gawk at you.”
“You? No way!”
“Thank you, Ms. Ventura.”
The class laughed. Then someone shouted out, “What’s her average for this class?”
I can look back on my life and see the decisions that were made, small they seemed to be at the time, that have lead me down the path I am now on.
“Have you ever looked at one of those 16-foot farm gates? When it is opened, it swings very wide. The end at the hinges moves ever so slightly, while out at the perimeter the movement is great. It is the little things upon which life turns that make the big difference in our lives”
~Gordon B Hinckley~
Sometimes through no fault of our own, no decision made on our part, we have been thrown a curve ball. These too are new beginnings though not the happy anticipated ones we so enjoy. How we choose to face them and deal with them makes all the difference.
I look forward to another year that I know will be full of other new beginnings. May God grant me the strength, patience, and fortitude to learn, grow, and stretch from each one.
Join us for Wordfull Wednesday! Write a post on this week’s topic “New Beginnings,” come back and sign your name on Mr. Linky making sure you link to your post’s url and not your main blog page. To learn more about what Wordfull Wednesdays are click here.
Wow! This brings back memories since I started BYUI when I was 16. It got around my ward that there was a 16 yr old in Apt 301 and everyone asked me if it was one of two of my roommates. Ha ha! I love to see people’s faces when I tell them my age. Yesterday, when asked, I said “I’m 19, but I’m a senior.” Just ahead of the game, aren’t we!
That’s a great story! I drifted over here from Crabapple Farm. I attended Ricks in the early 90’s, worked at the Scroll, and took a Book of Mormon class from Smith (yes, he did chemistry demonstrations in religion class, too.) And yes, he also embarrassed a few students with his comments… Thanks for the memories.
What an experience that must have been! I also attended Ricks, but not till I was 18. What a wonderful place it was/is. I loved it there.
I would have loved to entitled my morning’s blog “New Beginnings”…as it is about the baptism of someone special to our family. Definitely in the category of New Beginnings! I’ll have to remember it next week! Great post!
great post Montse.
What an experience! I meant to put something on my blog how new beginnings aren’t always how we expect them to come…you always remember everything!
I was one of those 18-year-olds that everyone always thought was 15 or 16…
This is beautiful. I love new beginnings. Right now I’m just at the beginning of the new school year and loving my new students and new classes. It’s so rejuvenating to feel at the start of something new.
(And now my captcha word is “pregin” as if a sign of another new beginning… how funny is that?)
You truly are an amazing person! Wow! I love your outlook on life and new beginnings.
I have never heard that quote before by President Hinckley, but it is one of my new favorites.
You should continue writing the story…sounds interesting 🙂
I like what you said about “a curve ball” being a new beginning. That shines the light of gratitude on whatever pitch we’re thrown.:)
Thanks for bringing so many different people and ideas together in one place.
This was such a fun post to read. You are so good with your words and I love your outlook on life. I can definetetly learn a great deal from you. Thank you for sharing!!
Ha ha! What a great story! You were such a smart 15-yr-old!
Found your blog while blog hopping. This is a great post! What a fun time that mush have been for you!! I was secretly hoping for a twist ending… like you ended up marrying the guy who sat next to you or something!
Loved reading this story!
Was not able to participate this time around.
That’s funny. Though sadly, if I’d been there they’d have thought it was me. At the end of my freshman year at university I was found in my now husband’s barracks room where I was waiting for him to finish some formation after we’d gone to introduce him to my family. Sadly for us, it was before visiting hours, even if it was the end of a holiday and the MPs found me while doing a “health inspection”. They thought I was no older than 14. I had to produce my license to prove I was really 19.
I was so scared they were going to throw me into military prison to rot or something. Little did I know they thought they were going to throw my then-fiancee into prison. EMBARASSING!!!