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Home › Diaries › Khyraen › July 16, 2006

Khyraen's Diary Entries

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Coming Out of Your Shell Can Be Tough

July 16, 2006

The Movies

Ashley is at the movies today with her dad. 

Ever since Ashley heard that Pirates of the Caribbean (PotC from now on) was coming out with a part two, and being a dedicated Orlando Bloom fan who can't watch his R-rated movies, Ashley has been counting down the days.  This is a movie she wanted to be sure not to miss.

Since swim team started this year, Ashley has really come out of her shell.  Last year, towards the end of the season, she had made one friend on the team.  Kate shares Ashley's love of the classics and reading in general and they were a good match.  But this year she has really blossomed.  She has several friends on the team and they have exchanged phone numbers and e-mail addresses, something she only did with Kate when championships became a problem because I couldn't get her there.  Kate's mom took her for us.

Every meet now, she hangs out in a group of girls her age all day long, and they sometimes even hang out with a--gasp--boy!  He's really shy and the girls are faster than him and I don't think Ashley and the girls realize what they are doing to him when they tease him.  I hope he doesn't quit because Ashley stunk last year and now she is really improving.  (This is Jonnie's year to stink--his first.)  She comes home with stories of their time together, if I make myself available--which I try to always do.  What a treat to have your teen share with you!

Anyway, back to PotC.  It's been released; she wants to go see it.  She is even willing to go on her own dime and make her iPod she's saving for that much further away.  (Hey, she's a dedicated fan and Orlando better appreciate that!)  So, she asked all of her friend if they'd meet her there this Fri. afternoon.  And here comes the hard part, because you see, she's just coming out of her shell and she's never done this before.

One by one, the friends told her they couldn't go.  Either that, or she didn't see them again to ask them or to get their response because they didn't come to practice.  She got a "something came up" from one of them--hard to take when you're all grown up, let alone inviting people for the very first time. 

Now, she has invited her best friend over to things before, but she has always been a one at a time type of girl who had one or two good friends.  When a really good friend can't come, you know they can't come because they can't.  You don't become unsure of their feelings towards you or anything like that.  But, when you have several friends all say they can't make or or not get back to you, and you haven't known them forever, well...teens opinions of themselves go up and down so quickly.

I hope Ashley doesn't become discouraged.  Sometimes things just work out like this, but she doesn't have the life experience to realize that and not take it personally.  But, feelings aside, she found someone to go with--and they're late getting back. 

For she has just seen PotC with her father, and perhaps that is what God had in mind the whole time.  After all, I've been pounding my brain to figure out something to suggest to my husband to help him work on his relationship with his daughter.  There really isn't one now and there needs to be one and God is just the sort of God to turn all the cruddy "something came up"s into something even better for Ashley than an afternoon with her friends.

Best wishes,

Khy

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