Jump Around

Last night was one of those typical family nights. Although I was late to dinner, as usual, I walk into my 22 year old sister's thirteenth birthday party blasting on the surround sound in the family room. I think I was about 8 years old, I was wearing some Hawaiian spaghetti strapped dress and my hair was blonde and stick straight. We were all dancing to the DJ to that song that goes JUMP JUMP JUMP JUMP!(the one in Mrs. Doubtfire at that kids birthday party and the mom walks in) We all looked so happy to just be enjoying each other's company. I spotted my sisters' frizzy hair, awful middle parted bangs, mullets and chokers. My dad had on one of his old Stanford Sweatshirts and the camera was wobbly probably because each of my sister's were trying to shoot the footage. I remember that day pretty well, my cousins and grandparents were there and I thought it was so cool to hang out with a whole bunch of thirteen year olds. I asked my sister if she even knew any of the girls in the video still, she said she kept in touch with about one. A couple hours went by of old birthday parties, footage of our old houses and the first day with a new dog, or a new baby. There was a lot of irony watching the videos, like when my dad asked my then 12 year old sister (who is a USC student now), "Brooke, do you know what a Trojan Horse is?" Ha! Or my twin and I randomly giving the camera a toothy smile with our unnecessarily crooked teeth, in which we spent years fixing. Watching these old videos made me think how fast life is going. Everyone tells you that it goes by fast but you don't realize it until your sitting with your family as a senior in high school, watching videos of your eighth birthday party remembering like it was yesterday. I don't even want to know what its going to feel like watching them when I'm eighty. I guess there's nothing we can do about the fact of how fast life goes, we just need to cherish every moment of it. This year, I hope to take everything one step at a time and not waste time on being upset with stupid things. I thought of something last night, live in the past because tomorrow you'll live in the present, I know I'm going against every thing everyone says about focusing on the now and bla bla bla, but I think at times it is important to remember all the good times with our families and friends, to always live with that little kid inside of you because tomorrow you'll be just a little bit older and a little bit wiser. Still remember that saying of focusing on the "now" because that is important, but if you do it too much you will forget your roots! My little sister has been nagging me for about 20 minutes to play Cats Cradle with her so I guess it's time to give her the attention she wants, so I am off!

ily forever and ever

Bee