Dear Patricia,
Dear Patricia,
You probably don't remember me. That's ok, seventh grade is kind of an interesting time, and an even more interesting time for memories. We were all at Anne Arundel Middle, remember? We had a couple of classes together--science in particular. To be quite honest, I don't even remember our teacher's name or what we learned that year. That is all kind of a blur, but I do remember one day in particular...
You were always a popular girl--very pretty, stylish, and funny. I am pretty sure most of the boys liked you. You were confident and cool. And let's be honest...I wasn't any of those things. I was kind of going through a "phase" you could say. I wore a lot of boy clothes, always threw my hair up wet, and wasn't allowed to wear makeup and wouldn't have worn it even if I was. I was a smartie. I always did my homework and liked school. Therefore, I am pretty sure I was labeled a geek as soon as elementary school was over and I was no longer the prized position of "teacher's pet".
I didn't mind the label so much, except everyone wants to be recognized as "popular" in some way, even me. I ached to be recognized as cool, stylish, pretty, or maybe even funny. I just had no idea how. So, I continued my life wearing boy clothes and having wet hair, thinking that one day I would morph into a gorgeous supermodel (I know, lame right? Well, who really thinks that straight in middle school?)
But that particular day, you said something that I will always remember. There was a group of us sitting at the science tables before class. I was sitting next to one of my good friends, Alli, and some other random people were around us. Some boy said a joke, and we were all laughing histerically. I laughed the hardest and probably the longest. It always was a very easy task to make me laugh, and it still is. Well, I was roaring. I don't even remember what was so funny. But afterwards, I realized I was one of the only people laughing super hard. So, I quickly stopped.
But, you turned to me and said, "I really love your laugh, Sabrina. It is so contagious and it is really cute." Really simple, right? I know you don't remember saying it. But I remember to this day the countenance of your face as you said it. You had a warm smile and bright eyes and a genuine look on your face. It was a compliment that was so out-of-the-blue that I remember blushing a little bit. I didn't respond. I couldn't.
Did Patricia just compliment ME?
Woah!
Why?
WHY would you do a thing like that? That is not what most popular people did. But you did.
You have no idea what those words have meant to me. In the moment, I was taken aback, but later on that day and that week, I realized something. I realized that it didn't matter if I was popular or not. It didn't matter if I was recognized for my looks or my style. I just needed to be me and that was enough. I realized that people would recognize the good things about me.
Well, I would like to say that I became popular and changed the lives of many others by being as nice to them as you have been to me, but that didn't happen.
But what did happen was I have never stopped laughing. Whenever someone comments on my laughter, I think of you Patricia and that day in seventh grade when you said those kind words to me. Whenever I have a bad day and I feel like I have nothing left to offer, I think, "Patricia at least thinks I have a great laugh". And you know what? It has totally lifted my spirits. It lifts my spirits still just thinking about it.
So Patricia, for being too shy to say it before, I say it to you now: THANK YOU!
Thank you for your kinds words to a lowly geeky goody-two-shoes that day in seventh grade science. She still remembers them. And it has made all the difference in the world.
THANK YOU!
Love,
Sabrina
You probably don't remember me. That's ok, seventh grade is kind of an interesting time, and an even more interesting time for memories. We were all at Anne Arundel Middle, remember? We had a couple of classes together--science in particular. To be quite honest, I don't even remember our teacher's name or what we learned that year. That is all kind of a blur, but I do remember one day in particular...
You were always a popular girl--very pretty, stylish, and funny. I am pretty sure most of the boys liked you. You were confident and cool. And let's be honest...I wasn't any of those things. I was kind of going through a "phase" you could say. I wore a lot of boy clothes, always threw my hair up wet, and wasn't allowed to wear makeup and wouldn't have worn it even if I was. I was a smartie. I always did my homework and liked school. Therefore, I am pretty sure I was labeled a geek as soon as elementary school was over and I was no longer the prized position of "teacher's pet".
I didn't mind the label so much, except everyone wants to be recognized as "popular" in some way, even me. I ached to be recognized as cool, stylish, pretty, or maybe even funny. I just had no idea how. So, I continued my life wearing boy clothes and having wet hair, thinking that one day I would morph into a gorgeous supermodel (I know, lame right? Well, who really thinks that straight in middle school?)
But that particular day, you said something that I will always remember. There was a group of us sitting at the science tables before class. I was sitting next to one of my good friends, Alli, and some other random people were around us. Some boy said a joke, and we were all laughing histerically. I laughed the hardest and probably the longest. It always was a very easy task to make me laugh, and it still is. Well, I was roaring. I don't even remember what was so funny. But afterwards, I realized I was one of the only people laughing super hard. So, I quickly stopped.
But, you turned to me and said, "I really love your laugh, Sabrina. It is so contagious and it is really cute." Really simple, right? I know you don't remember saying it. But I remember to this day the countenance of your face as you said it. You had a warm smile and bright eyes and a genuine look on your face. It was a compliment that was so out-of-the-blue that I remember blushing a little bit. I didn't respond. I couldn't.
Did Patricia just compliment ME?
Woah!
Why?
WHY would you do a thing like that? That is not what most popular people did. But you did.
You have no idea what those words have meant to me. In the moment, I was taken aback, but later on that day and that week, I realized something. I realized that it didn't matter if I was popular or not. It didn't matter if I was recognized for my looks or my style. I just needed to be me and that was enough. I realized that people would recognize the good things about me.
Well, I would like to say that I became popular and changed the lives of many others by being as nice to them as you have been to me, but that didn't happen.
But what did happen was I have never stopped laughing. Whenever someone comments on my laughter, I think of you Patricia and that day in seventh grade when you said those kind words to me. Whenever I have a bad day and I feel like I have nothing left to offer, I think, "Patricia at least thinks I have a great laugh". And you know what? It has totally lifted my spirits. It lifts my spirits still just thinking about it.
So Patricia, for being too shy to say it before, I say it to you now: THANK YOU!
Thank you for your kinds words to a lowly geeky goody-two-shoes that day in seventh grade science. She still remembers them. And it has made all the difference in the world.
THANK YOU!
Love,
Sabrina
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