Child of The West... Ummmmm I don't think so

Yes, I am a child of the West historically and technically, but I am not a stereotypical modern day beach loving child of the West. The people on the West coast have changed dramatically over time and are nothing like the first settlers that we learned about in history class. The child of the West today is laid back, unfocused, and has a slow and carefree way of approaching life. The original child of the West had determination, goals, and an optimistic, strong way of approaching whatever is thrown at them. That way of life has moved from the west and is now more common in the South. You have to work for everything, and if you don't you won't have anything. I am the old child of the West. I am always working towards something whether it is to graduate college cum laude or just train my dog to jump a hurdle. I am always working, thinking, and succeeding. I am not someone that spends all of my time on the beach. I am someone that has determination to reach my goals. I am a child of the original West, and a child of the modern South.

Coming of Age

It was mid-July at Lake Of Bays in Ontario, Canada. I was nine. My brothers and dad walked over to the neighbors to pick up a little, red tin boat called "The Bird". It had been sitting in the forest for years. We were finally going to put it to use. That 9.8 mercury engine purred like a cat, but only after 43 pulls on the line. It was a one stroke, stalled a bit, but it worked. The boat was mine. I had been waiting to have my own set of wheels and finally, I did. I felt like I was flying. Neutral to reverse to neutral to forward. The engine clicked as I switched gears and hopped off. I was alone. I was trusted. I was excited. I was a baby bird pushed out of the nest. A delay before flight, but I did it. I lived to tell the tale.