Taylor's Voice

Madeline’s object piece was about a necklace she bought that represented her commitment, and love for her boyfriend, Morgan. It was rose gold and had an “M&M” on it to stand for Madeline and Morgan. She wore it every day until it was so worn out that she could no longer wear it. Now, it dangles on the rear view mirror of her car and she admires it every day.

"Greetings, Madeline. I love the line "looking for nothing, finding everything." I often feel this way when I go shopping with my little sister. I admire your commitment and passion, and I love that even though you can't wear the necklace anymore, it's still beautiful to you and you haven't given up on it. Morgan is a lucky guy. Thank you for sharing this fantastic piece."

Riley’s object piece what about her drumline competitions, and the time Kickapoo won 8^th in the world! She recalls a time that her team prayed before their debut, and later returns to the very same spot for the finals. She exposes the comical and nerve-racking struggles that come with competitions away from home, such as having to such all their instruments into a bus! Yikes! She is saddened that some of her senior teammates will be leaving, because they’re such a great group of drummers and friends.

"Hello, Riley! I can definitely relate with the having to stuff instruments onto a bus. When we have Orchestra contests, it's a huge hassle to pack the basses and cellos. Love that you remember the spot you prayed in, the first time. I often walk or drive past a place that reminds me of something dear to my heart. Eighth in the World is a huge deal! Congratulations! I'm very proud of our Kickapoo drumline and I look forward to seeing what great things they do in the future. Thanks for sharing!"

Jesse’s piece is the most difficult to summarize, and I’m not sure that I completely understand it. I presume that he is telling us about his “third eye” and the good and bad that come with it. He presents his object as a mystery, and leaves it open to interpretation. It seems almost supernatural it me. He comments that this object lives inside of him, and very few people have experienced it other than him. His friend “T” is one of these people. He talks about how is can be a nuisance and can weigh heavy on his shoulders, and sometimes it can make him feel empowered and gives him insight. It’s a very confusing topic.

"Salutations, Jesse. Your opening line does a great job of drawing your reader in. "This object is a mystery." What could THAT mean? I'm bemused. I like how this piece makes me think, and how it challenges me. I had to read it a few times to wrap my head around it. Your question at the end reminds me of the mirror in Harry Potter that shows you your deepest desires. I recall Dumbledore telling Harry that the happiest man in the world would look upon the mirror and see only himself, exactly the way he is. Thank you for adding such a dynamic piece."

Cessna Moments

When my mother was a little girl, she would skip church with her grandfather every Sunday and go flying in his blue and white, 2-seater Cessna airplane. The empty field behind her house doubled as a landing strip, so he would just cruise up to the house and pick her up. They would fly for hours at a time, and talk, and tell stories, and laugh. They would fly through the clouds, even though they weren’t supposed to. He would sometimes pass off the controls to her and let her fly the plane, placing a tremendous amount of trust in a little girl with no pilot’s license.

My mom was the first-born grandchild and the only granddaughter for many years, and therefore reserved the right as Granddaddy’s favorite, the Golden child.  In his eyes, she could do nothing wrong. When something bad happened, it was always everyone else’s fault, never hers. He almost never took any of his other four grandchildren up in the plane, instilling a sense of pride and superiority in my mom.

 My Granddaddy was the type of man that enjoyed hearing himself speak, but my mother liked the sound her own voice more. They made a good pair. When flying, they would discuss religion, politics, her future, and his past. He probably told her about the time he got shot in order to win her grandmother back, after she had broken up with him; or the time he entered a boxing competition and beat one of the future winners of the golden gloves; or how he had the highest IQ of anyone in Harrison, AR. I imagine my mom, a girl of seven or eight, learning how to voice her own thoughts and opinions with him for the first time, and he telling her why she was wrong and what she should think instead. She was very inquisitive, and asked him a lot of questions that he didn’t know the answer to, which was probably a rarity for him. As a child, she wanted to be exactly like Granddaddy. Strong, successful, powerful, and kind without others knowing he was kind.

Granddaddy purchased the Cessna when he retired, at the age of 50, after making his fortune and passing his business off to his eldest son, Mike. He firmly believed that anything worth doing, was worth doing to perfection. He was also a bragger. So when he aced his pilot’s license test, he told everyone how he'd received the highest score on the state of Arkansas, a 100%. Flying was one of the few things he really enjoyed in his life. But after his second heart attack, he was forced to give up his license; a bird without his wings.

Despite the sadness of never flying that Cessna again, Granddaddy helped shape my mother into the assertive, but caring, adventurous spirit that she is today.  Despite not having the ability to take our own flight, my mother and I have had plenty of our own “Cessna moments.”