Essay #3 (Contrast Essay)

                  A young girl, who runs through the woods getting muddy, guts the fish she caught, tends a garden, and handles the woodstove, would not associate herself with a teenager who didn’t care whether she made it to the lake or woods that week. This teenager, who uses and abuses drugs and alcohol and breaks the law - with a record to prove it, would not associate herself with a married woman with a young child. These three people have absolutely nothing in common and should never cross paths. Yet, they all belong to the same body. All along for the ride, with baggage of transformations, it’s just me, myself, and I – and boy, what a journey it has been, so far!

                There was me – the tomboy whose only interest was the outdoors. The girl who never thought about any boys, cliques, jewelry, makeup, hair styles or anything else a 12 – 13 year old girl would think about.  The majority of things that were on my mind were fishing, hunting, and camping – besides the wood splitting, woodstove tending, cooking, cleaning (indoors and outdoors), and tending the garden. I had no time for friends unless they wanted to go four wheeling, snowmobiling, or fishing. Boys stuck their nose up at me at walked away when they saw me. I mean, why wouldn’t they? I had short hair like a guy, wore glasses, was overweight, and had absolutely no girly side to me. I was undesirable and straight-up invisible to the world besides to my family – and I didn’t care.

                Then, there was my teenage self. A complete transformation from who I had originally been. I moved away from the woods, met new friends, and allowed myself to do their hobbies: drugs. I didn’t care about school, family, or my health. I was just in it for the high of the ride. I got into trouble, did things I probably shouldn’t have done, and hung out with people that were bad news. I was your stereotypical doped up teenager ‘living up’ their teenage years. I had thought that that was the only way to have fun in life. I was so caught up in the moment, that I never remembered what it was like to just sit back and relax with a fishing rod in my hands.

                Now, there is I, Mrs. Jessica Ricker – a completely transformed woman from the previous Miss Jessica Webber. My teenage years are completely behind me now, and I am 100% sober. I have a better handle on my life then I ever have before. I am full time college student and am newly married to the most amazing Marine ever! We also have the most adorable three month old baby together! Now that we are officially a military family, we are getting ready to move out of state to a Marine base once Kevin gets through all his training. My new life is finally falling into place, and I couldn’t ask for anything better!

                Those three people who wouldn’t ever find themselves associating with each other, finally came together as a whole to create who I am today. There was Me; the all too innocent 12 year old who never wanted kids. There was Myself; the bad chick who never wanted to settle down. Then there was I; the completely transformed woman with a beautiful family. They say life is a rollercoaster. Well, my rollercoaster has gone up and down and every which way, until it finally shot off the tracks and landed in the clouds. I am up on cloud nine and I am never coming down!