Don't blink

I went on a cleaning binge last night.

Once I got started, I just couldn't stop. 

I cleaned out cabinets & drawers & everything in between. 

It was very revitalizing.

During this process, I found lots of treasures.

I also trashed a lot of treasures, but some of them were definitely worth keeping.

One of which was a bag of goodies that my mom had found at their house and gave to me.This bag was filled with things from my senior year of high school.

This is incredibly fitting because today my baby brother started his senior year of high school.

turns out he's not a baby anymore. when did that happen?!

 As I was looking through these papers, pictures, and memories, I found a true gem. 

I was asked to speak at my brother's sixth grade promotion when I was a senior.

This is a super-old copy of that speech.

As I began reading it, I was prepared to be completely humiliated by myself and what I wrote.

I was pleasantly surprised that wasn't the case. 

Before I comment on it, I want you guys to read it.

Here goes...

Good afternoon everyone! My name is Mallory Auffert. I attended Indian Creek Elementary for four years, went on to Northern Hills Junior high and am, as of Sunday, a graduate of Seaman High School. Standing here today seems completely absurd. It feels like just last year I was sitting on this stage prepared to move on to the next level of my education.

I remember the fear and excitement running through my blood as the first day of seventh grade knocked at my door. My mom and I went out to buy a special "first day of school outfit", I had a new backpack that I deemed acceptable for the "cool crowd", and my hair was curled perfectly; I was ready for the Junior High world.

As I look back now, I think to myself "why exactly did I care so much? Why couldn't I just accept myself the way I was - dorky backpack and all?" I remember my sister rolling her eyes when she saw me staring at myself in the mirror. Too worried about how I looked, how many friends I would have, and whether I had the coolest clothes or not, I failed to stop and enjoy my first year at Northern Hills. 

When I got there, I didn't have very many friends. It seemed like I would do anything to hang out with the "Popular crowd", even though they were mean to anyone they thought were losers. I didn't have a boyfriend, either. Apparently I was considered "friend material", and friend material only. 

Yeah, these things might seem important to you know, but just wait until you start to care about things that really have an impact on your life. I'll tell you from experience that if you're not yourself, people will know it. I guarantee that you will gain more respect from your peers if you just accept who you are and love yourself for that. There is nothing greater in this world than respecting and having faith in yourself. Having the most friends and the coolest clothes will not get you scholarships for college, a terrific job in the future, or a optimistic outlook on life.

I'm not standing before you today to preach, but to tell you from experience that caring what other people thought about me only made my early years in junior high and high school unbearable. Students can be cruel and unloving, but some can turn out to be your best friends - it's up to you to find out where you really belong.

Based on what I've heard about this class, I know that you will all go very far in life. My hope is that everyone here will learn from their experiences and make good choices when faced with peer pressure. 

Don't take for granted the true friends you have now - the friends that will stick by you through thick and thin. Those friends are the people will change your life in the long run. Be considerate of people around you and know that they're going through the same trials you are experiencing. And lastly, please enjoy these years you have in school. Believe me, they go way too fast.

I leave you with a quote from one of my favorite movies, Never Been Kissed:
"There is a great big world out there and it won't matter if you were the most popular girl, the quarterback of the football team, or the biggest nerd in school. Find out who you really are and try not to be afraid of it."
Congratulations on your 6th grade promotion and good luck in your years to come! I know this class will do great things."

First off, let me just give a big 'ole high-five to 18-year-old Mallory because, quoting Never Been Kissed? 

Let's face it, that's a hefty dose of awesome.

And second, um...can I get a cookie for hitting the nail on the head? 

Or a candy bar.

Anything with sugar or caffeine will do.

The fact that every lesson I tried to get across to the kids still applies to me today [and will continue to] simply astounds me. 

I'm so glad I was given the opportunity to do this

and also finding it,

6 years later,

and getting a nice little smack on the head from senior-Mal

about the things that are really important in life.

Today, I leave you with this lesson, kids:

live in the moment.

Time flies by; if you blink you just might miss it.

And also, you get to see these treats.

My two "little" brothers [okay, one's not my actual brother, but he may as well be]:

6th grade

2006 

Senior Year

2012

 See what I mean? Time is gone in the blink of an eye.