The other day, I logged on to facebook like I usually do when I am trying to avoid laundry, exercise and basically anything that requires doing something other than sitting on the couch. I quickly scrolled through the news feed of my fellow facebook acquaintances, one of them being my 16 year old brother. His status update screamed teenage angst, you know, the kind that says
'even though I am in high school, I know the entire world is at a stand still while my social life is embedded the drama you would only find on Beverly Hills 90210'...pretty serious stuff.
After inquiring with my little brother about what happened, it was just as expected- a game of 'He Said, She Said' knotted with high school hormones had put a fragile 3 week teenage romance to the test. While I tried to offer my brother my best sisterly condolences and advice, I knew the only thing that would solve his problems was the truth that in high school, issues like his will eventually disappear with good ol' fashion time and the fact that something else potentially more dramatic may happen that will take his attention away from it.
The thing I should have told my brother was that although this may seem like a BIG problem now, it wont be next month, next year, next decade. When I think back on my high school days, I know I enjoyed myself, I was involved in school activities, I received good grades, and had a lot of friendships, some I still cherish today. I don't think of the heartbreak, the academic pressure, the rumors, and the drama that happened. That's not to say those things didn't happen...they did, it just doesn't seem as such a big deal anymore. I remember there was a day that I stayed home from school because I was so upset over a breakup the night before, I remember feeling so betrayed by a close friend that I wanted nothing but to get revenge...those things happened but I don't reflect on them when I reminisce on my teenage days because they just don't matter.
Of course if I would have said this to my brother, he would have rolled his eyes and complained that I just don't understand, but I do. Stuff like that happened all the time in high school. Gossip and backstabbing have been around since Gutenberg's time, and while facebook and myspace wasn't as prevalent as it is now, there was still cyberbullying. He can handle his issues, I am not saying he can't. I just hope that he doesn't choose to reflect on his high school years and only remember the drama that surfaced in the 4 years he attended. He should choose to remember the friends, the activities, the dances, the good relationships etc. But what I AM saying is that I know in the back of my mind, I shouldn't worried- He is a smart kid and he was raised by the same two people as I was and basically, us Dobsons keep our crap together :)
