Shannon Marie.

First off, this is not a piece of work thrown together to display something that needed to be finished in order to move on from point A to point B. This is a piece of my thought process of how I decided to grow up;with the influential help of an admirable lady. The thought process that took napkin notes, journal pages, writing during math class, blog entries, dream analyzing and quotes from her mouth to tie together a string of emotions that didn't actually need an answer.

"You have to believe you're worth it," Marie Shannon Long. As a teenager, I have received my fine share of the world that has made me constantly unsure of myself, asking questions that seemed to have no answers. In reality, all questions have answers.I just didn't want to take action and be responsible for my own. This year was when I was thankfully refreshed with a wake-up call from someone that decided to reenter my life, unannounced and completely needed. I decided it was time to be responsible. This lovely lady goes by Shannon, Mrs.Long, or Mommy. She's a friend that helped me learn how to direct myself without wandering down the wrong path,a teacher of more than just curriculum, and an awesome mom that loves with all her might. She is strong and truthful.She gave me that push I needed to get my priorities in whack.She showed me her life and how it had it's mistakes. Also, she helped me see that growing up is just moving on.

Like I said, Shannon came into my life unannounced but we were nothing more than acquaintances. I had only recognized her from prior years of teaching at schools I had attended and the fact that she knew my grandmother. However, there was a spark when I started saying hi in the hall ways and from there I knew that she was one of those people that I was automatically drawn to. I started opening up to her, and she did the same. She started sharing life experiences that happened especially when she was a teenager, and I was completely intrigued. She told me stories that didn't seem as if she lived them, but I could see with the intensity of her eyes how real the experiences were. Even though she didn't take as many risks as she could of with the normal teenage activity, when she chose to take part, it hit her hard. Then, when the stories were over I could see her eyes, the same eyes that were just reliving a teenage memory, reenter the present with reassurance of a learned lesson. So, after every story I'd take her learned lesson, look at the woman she was today, filled with strength, love and truth and make it apply to my life. Although, our experiences are different I could now enter a situation from any angle with eyes wide open.

With eyes wide open Shannon helped me see life from different angles and helped me learn that I didn't have to go a certain way in life just because I was facing that direction, I could easily turn around and go the other way. Although, it was my decision to turn around, I realized that I'm glad that I went down the first path. I experienced more, but made my decision that some choices weren't for me. As I felt like I was driving down all these curvy roads, once she came they were still curvy, but nearly as narrow. I had more opportunities to be strong, loving and truthful without so many distractions.

My sweet friend, Shannon, was more than just a teacher, she was someone that helped me learn my own lessons with the wisdom from her experiences and helped guide me through mine. She taught me that I needed to want to turn around. It couldn’t just be something I questioned. Then, when I sat there and told her that I wanted it, she was the one that helped me take action. She showed it with some tough love, but love all and all. I appreciated it because I knew that she wanted it for me too. So, I learned to move on from the roads that were too narrow and stay on roads that I could control and explore. As long as I want to move on, I’ll do just that. It’s all about growing up and believing I am truly worth it, and there is no question about that.