Child vs. Now

This week’s journal entry:

Compile a list of words that describe you as a child. Compile a second list that describe you as you are now. How are these lists the same? How are they different?

By Laura Black

This should be interesting. I will try my hardest to remember words that would describe me as a child. Here it goes:

1.    Shy – I was not the first one to start a conversation in class or speak up to answer a question.

2.    Reader – I loved to read books. I absolutely loved to go to the library and check out books as well as trying to read other books we had at home.

3.    Writer – I loved to write. Whether it was making up stories or just writing in general, I loved to write.

4.    Helpful – I was the oldest of three, so I always wanted to help out with whatever. I especially liked to help out with my siblings.

5.    Responsible – Since I was the oldest of three, I watched my siblings a lot and had to learn to be responsible with them and life in general.

6.    Neat – I liked my room neat and everything in order. My sister, however, did not. It drove me nuts to share a room with her when she wouldn’t clean up her side.

7.    Easy-going – Although I don’t like change much, I would tend to go with the flow.

So, now for my list of words that describes me now. Here we go:

1.    Introvert – Although I’m a teacher and have to get up in front of my classes every day, I would much rather just keep to myself. Obviously, I can interact with a group of people and hold my own, but it seriously mentally drains me. By the end of my day of teaching, the last thing I want to do is interact with others. I just want to be left alone.

2.    Reader – I still love to read. My favorite is reading fiction novels that are somehow women-related. Reading fiction is one of my favorite things to do.

3.    Writer – I still love to write. It doesn’t even matter what…making a list, writing in my journal, writing fictional stories…as long as I can write, I love it!

4.    Helpful – Well, I’m a teacher, so I would say this still applies. Beyond teaching, I try to help people in whatever way I can whenever I can.

5.    Responsible – Yes, this still applies. I always tend to be the most responsible in most situations. It’s just what I do, I guess. Sometimes, though, I like to be the irresponsible one. Everyone just assumes I want to be the responsible one all the time because that’s what I do, but that gets tiring and old.  

6.    Neat – Yep, I have OCD when it comes to being neat and clean. As much as it’s not always possible these days, I would prefer to have everything neat and clean all the time. If I lived alone, then it would be possible to maintain my neatness. When you don’t live alone, however, it’s just frustrating when you don’t live with others that aren’t neat freaks like me; therefore, I have to let it go. I’ve had to accept reality and know it’s not always possible. Well, it’s possible, but I honestly don’t have the time and patience to keep up with it all, so I have to let it go. I dedicate one day to cleaning and stick with that.

7.    Easy-going – I like to think I’m easy-going still. I still don’t necessarily like change, but I usually just go with the flow.

Overall, I guess I haven’t changed too much. Most of the words that described me as a child would still describe me now. How about you? What’s your childhood and adult list? How similar are yours? Or, are they drastically different?