I have an 11 year old sister, ok 12- her birthday's in 3 months. (At this age, being told she's 12 means a whole lot- go figure...) So anyway, for Christmas, against my better judgement, I bought her a Simple Plan poster even though my original intention was to get her the full set of Lemony Snicket books (in my not-so-subtle attempt to mold her in my image). Alas, apparently when you're 11 going on 12, books mean very little and Montreal-based punk rock bands mean a whole lot more. So she just received it (that's another story- don't go there) and also unceremoniously broke to me the news that not only did she buy the new Green Day album (she's 11! What does she know about walking the lonely road and the boulevard of broken dreams??!!), she's going to her first rock concert in March- Simple Plan of course...
So here I am, at the ripe old age of 28, suddenly assailed by maternal panic attacks at the prospect of my little girl growing up in a way I hadn't even entertained till a month ago. One moment ago she was a wee thing learning how to use chopsticks and the next, she's swearing undying devotion to some guy wielding drum sticks instead. Man... Jude says I should stop thinking like a mother and more like the sister I really am. I was like her when I was twelve too no? Ok fine, so I thought Tommy Page was God's gift to me and me alone and that New Kids on the Block were the coolest things to come my way since L.A. Gear high-cut sneakers. But I digress... Anyways, the point is that it's just hard seeing her grow up so fast, and without me by her side. That's one of the lousiest things about being here for the next four years- not being at home with my sis. Oh don't get me wrong, she's completely well-adjusted, very sensible and gets wonderful support from my other sister and parents. I just wish I were there too y'know, for what might potentially be the most tumultous years of her life thus far... Be there when she has her first crush (if she hasn't already), hug her when she comes home crying from that dramatic argument we've all had with best friends, defend her when my parents look at the phone bill, tell her what a big mistake it is when she wants to get a perm, ...
And yet, at the heart of every budding teen-queen is always a little girl and that little girl inside thankfully takes a little longer to grow up (I'm not even sure that part of me has grown up yet...) For some, the little girl is brought out by unicorns, for others, it's an unexplainable attachment to cotton-candy. For my sister Samantha, it's whales...
The Gray Whale (by Samantha Koh)
I am a gray whale
swimming in the sea
I just don't know why
people are trying to catch me
I am a living creature
having rights to live
Why must people like poachers
be so selfish
I just want to live
to live a normal life
Why must all these humans
kill me with those big sharp knives.
3 comments:
i think i see some lyrical influences from simple plan...hehe.
have you
...let me try that again.
Has your sister read any of the Young Wizards series? The second book is called Deep Wizardry, and the main characters transform into whales for most of the book.
I've only read up through book 2, but they were fun reads. The main characters are both thirteen, I think, so, you know, the books shouldn't seem too childish to someone as mature as your sister ;)
Post a Comment