This I Believe, by Chelsea

This I Believe
(based upon NPR's "This I Believe" series)

As human beings, we make mistakes on a daily basis. Some people make larger ones than others. You’re not a “weak person” for making them; you’re only weak if you don’t find the strength to forgive yourself and to fix the problem. As a high school student, I make many mistakes. As a teenager, I’m stuck in an awkward stage, torn between child and adult. When stuck in this stage, a teen wants the privileges of an adult, while still holding the heart and experiences of a child. As teens, this makes us more liable for mistakes. John Wooden once said, “If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes.” John could not have been more accurate. That brings me back to my belief. Any one can make mistakes, but I believe that a strong person forgives their self and fix the mistake. I believe that I am a strong person. Here’s why.

The summer after my sophomore year in high school was awesome. I had my “summer love”, I went to the beach countless times, and living out on our family boat would be an understatement. As Summer approached its end, I met Wes. Wes was your typical “bad boy”, tattoos up his arms, piercings from head to toe, high school drop out, 20 years old, and he lived in the neighborhood next to mine. Needless to say, he was not my parents’ favorite. There is a saying, “Misery loves company.” Wes was the misery and I was his company. It wasn’t too long after we started dating that the trouble began. I would tell my parents I was going to work early, and instead I would sneak in extra time with Wes. I loved the time we spent together. But, all of those times, I was in fact late for work, and it cost me my job. However, I didn’t stop seeing him; I still snuck over to his place everyday after school, which didn’t last long once my dad caught on.

My dad eventually had Wes’ whole neighborhood watching for my car, and waiting with my dad’s number to call. They definitely did. At the time, I didn’t understand why my dad was trying to ruin my life. I felt betrayed, annoyed, and couldn’t stand my dad anymore. Of course the fun with Wes had to end. A 20 year old guy was not going to stay with a 16 year old girl. The relationship ended, and so did my parents’ trust in me.

Wes was not my only issue; so were grades. I had dropped from an “A/B” student to a straight “F” student. Studying was not an activity that I engaged in. Getting suspended didn’t help. I found myself in a distracting drama, which caused me to stop paying attention in class, and then hide every interim from my parents.

One night, after going through all of this for a good four months, I sat down with desperate hopes to pull myself together. I felt as if nothing was going my way, and that it never would. But then I thought to myself, what is sitting around and moping about it going to do? If I could prove to my parents that I am capable of being their reliable daughter again, and if I could keep myself away from Wes, and maybe even again be a straight “A” student, then I could pull myself out of this hole. So that’s exactly what I did. It wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t a quick process, but I did it.

Now, looking back on all of my accomplishments, I’m so proud of myself. I’m not proud that I dated Wes. I’m not proud of failing classes. I’m not proud of what I did to my parents. But I’m overwhelmed with joy that I found the strength in myself to bounce back. I am again a straight “A” student. I have nothing to do with Wes. I have a strong relationship with my parents, and I am closer to God. I found a lot of strength in going back to church, and am soon receiving my First Communion and Confirmation. Needless to say, I’m not just back to being the “Old Chelsea” but a “Better Chelsea”. I often hear my friends say, “I give up, there’s no hope for me.” It makes me angry because I know they can bounce back, but some of them just choose not to. So, this is my life, and it’s a perfect example of my belief. You’re not a weak person for making mistakes; you’re only weak if you don’t forgive yourself and fix the problem. I strong person never quits on themselves. They find the strength inside them to fix their mistakes.