Reality Check // Week 6

Kimberly Schoenauer
Feb 12, 2016
2 min read

Reality check is my weekly confessional. The good, bad, and ugly will go here so that I can just... be. Be real. Be authentic.

I've been seeing the cutest pictures from parents this week of all the adorable pinteresty Valentines kids prepare and give out in their classes. It reminded me of when I was in 3rd grade and gave out those little Valentine's day cards to everyone in my class as well. I passed out Hello Kitty cards that year. I'm pretty sure I opted for Hello Kitty cards nearly every year, with the exception of one where Jem (of Jem and the Holograms) was a big deal. Yes, I was into HK way before it was known to the greater US population, I was cool like that.

The kids in my class did not appreciate my coolness though. In fact, they were completely unaware of it. I remember 3rd grade in particular because I spent lots of time decorating the backs of the cards so that my classmates felt special. I had a red rubber stamp with my name on it with a heart around it. So fitting, no? Every card got this stamp on it, in lieu of signing my name handwritten. I was so proud of those cards. And, unlike some kids who only gave valentines out to their friends, I decided I wanted to give them out to everyone equally so that no one felt left out.

My generous heart was rewarded by merciless teasing from the better part of the class because I had given Valentines out to all the boys in class with a heart stamped on it, meaning that I must, of course, be desperately in love with all of them. I was mortified. I cried for most of the week. I didn't want to go back.

Well, little did they all know, those stupid mean kids, that I don't even LIKE boys. So to all you foolish boys who thought I liked you when I was just being nice... PSYCH!!!! I wish I had known then how little I would come to care about what people think. That it was actually OK that they all thought I was desperately in love with them. Who cares? What's the harm? If I could channel my current self-confidence at the tender age of 8, my Valentines would have looked like this.

And all the boys could just check their ego at the door.