I will be 10

/ Meg


I’m fortunate to live and work close to my grandparents, two of the most influential people in my life. Growing up, I went to an elementary school just blocks from their house and spent entire summers in my mother’s childhood home, doing crafts with Grandma and being completed spoiled rotten by her cooking. (My Maw Maw, Dad’s mom, is also an excellent cook — and baker. I could dedicate an entire post to Maw Maw’s tomato sandwiches, cookies and peanut butter cups, but that will have to tantalize you another day.)

A decade after I started high school and stopped going to Grandma and Grandpa’s daily, I’m still close with my grandparents and try to meet Grandma for lunch every few weeks. She usually has a collection of things to give me — old newspaper announcements from when I made honor roll or the dean’s list; handwritten recipes; photos of my sister and me as little girls. I’ve come to look forward — and almost expect — these small treasures to land in my hands, laughing with Gram at a shared memory from when I was a wild-haired toddler or sullen teen.

I’ve always been a writer. I penned my first book in second grade, about a bunny named Carrot; my teacher was so impressed that she read it to the class. By fifth grade, I’d written an entire family drama about a girl named Viola and her unruly twin brothers, then moved on to writing sequels to “Star Wars,” a middle school obsession, when I finally finished the original trilogy of films and didn’t think the plot headed in the right direction. (At 11, I was a Luke-and-Leia shipper. I just couldn’t get over that they were — gasp — brother and sister. There was love in their eyes, I tell you. Love.)

And in that time? Well, I started penning my memoirs. I’m not sure what a 9-year-old really had to say about life and love, but darn if I didn’t attempt it. Gram had a typewriter and she would often indulge me by setting it up with a few sheets of feather-light paper. It was so delicate, unmarred. A fast typer but never really an accurate one, I would often get frustrated by my typos and give up on the whole typewriter thing. I just didn’t want to mess up that perfect paper.

Plus, then the computer came along. So I started typing on that.

And now I feel old.

But it turns out typing wasn’t as fun as hand writing my stories, so I went back to honing my literary sentiments with markers and sheets of loose-leaf paper. That’s what you find above — one of my early attempts at introducing myself to the world (please note the “Hi!”, as if someone were peeking over my shoulder and anxious to read my thoughts.)

I’ve grown up quite a bit since my “I will be 10” days, but I still feel like that little girl sometimes. Full of a zest for life and eager to tell everyone about the things she loves: pink; Power Rangers; the piano. Though I didn’t turn out to be a scientist or archeologist (where did that come from?), I’m still curious about life and always ready to tell a story.

But now I get to do it on a slightly larger scale.

And for that? I’m eternally thankful. And hopeful for what’s to come.

Not quite as cool as archeology, but I still think 9-year-old Meg would be impressed. You know, if she could tear herself away from “Power Rangers.”

16 thoughts on “I will be 10”

  1. You had Two Real Cars aged 10?!?! Fantastic! 🙂 Also I am very impressed that your 9 year old self knew what archeology was. Indiana Jones?
    I love to find old notes like this. I have a story I wrote aged 7 about She Ra (and how she was so much better than He Man, of course.) She Ra could take out the Power Rangers any day!

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    • I know, right? Two real cars and I was only 10! Gearing up for the happy day when I got my driver’s license, I suppose!

      Haha, love that you wrote a story about She Ra — she is awesome, though I don’t know if she could have been a match for Kimberly, the Pink Power Ranger — and my personal favorite. You know, because she was pink. That was just about my only qualification.

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    • Not yet, I’m sorry to say — though I’m hopeful that the day is coming! I’ll be sure to share a link when the time comes. Thank you for being interested!

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    • It’s been a while since I tickled the ol’ ivories, Kathy, but I do occasionally play the keyboard . . . when under duress. Can’t say I’m a huge “Power Rangers” fan these days, though — the latest incarnation is just silly!

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  4. Oh I love this. That’s so wonderful that your grandmother kept these treasures for you. It’s interesting, I could have typed on the computer or typewriter too, but most of the writing I did when I was kid was by hand and on looseleaf paper as well 🙂

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    • There’s just something about real paper, Melissa! Though I don’t write stories by hand anymore (or on a typewriter, for that matter), I can definitely see the appeal. Plus, it’s just cool to look back and see your own handwriting. So much more personal . . . a dying art.

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    • I was super excited! A few months back, I was cleaning out my room when I discovered a whole folder of short stories I’d written in middle school. They’re too embarrassing to share publicly, but it’s fun to skim through them in the privacy (utter privacy!) of my own house.

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  6. I don’t have any of my writings, school paper, nothing from those days. This is SUCH a treat for you to share with us. You were just as cute then as you are now. 🙂
    Which Power Ranger is your favorite?

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    • Aww — thanks, Care! My favorite Power Ranger was definitely Kimberly, the Pink Ranger — not that that’s any shocker. My sister loved Trini, the Yellow Ranger, and my major celebrity crush was on Tommy, the Green/White Ranger. That epic ponytail was really something.

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  7. Meg, this is just precious. I have copies of all the things I wrote for the HS and college paper, and the poem I wrote much younger that was published in my dad’s union paper…it was about pollution and it was the UAW, I’m not sure how that really plays out now 40 years later…ha ha.
    You are so lucky to live close to your family, cherish it all you can, as it appears you do. Happy weekend!!

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  8. How awesome that you have that note still and it evidences much of who you are at such a young age! It’s great that you already loved to write and wrote a lot when you were little.It’s sad that you stopped seeing your grandparents everyday, one of the inevitable results of growing up so It’s great that you’re still close with your grandparents. And what wonderful treasures and memories your grandmother gives you. What fun it’ll be to show those keepsakes to your children.

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