It was my sixth birthday, my family and I lived in a yellow
house off of Barkaloo st. located in, at the time a small town, in Texas. It
was a sunny weekend, weather I was not used to on my birthday. Having a
birthday in April typically meant my special day would include rain. Not that
day though, that day was different. My parents woke me up that morning by
jumping on my bed while yelling “Happy Birthday!” That was a morning surprise.
I stumbled out of bed, walked down the hall, through the living room, and into
the kitchen where I enjoyed a delicious birthday breakfast. After I finished
eating I continued on with the daily routine of brushing my teeth, getting
dressed, and my mother fixing my hair. While mom was fixing my hair, my dad
asked me to accompany him to the store to purchase a few grocery items. So, I
happily went with my dad. When we arrived back at the house, to my surprise, my
mother had organized a party. I recall opening the door and a lot of people
jumped out and shouted “Happy Birthday!” It was the most amazing feeling to see
so many people at my house to celebrate with me. As I walked in I was greeted
by cousins, aunts, uncles, people across the street, people next door, and
children from my class at school. There was confetti on the kitchen table,
balloons on the floor, balloons floating on the ceiling, a birthday cake with
my name on it, cupcakes, and lots of presents. We all celebrated and had a
wonderful time. At the end of the party all of the adults left but all of the
children stayed. About seventeen boys and girls stayed the night at my house
that night. The girls slept in my room and the boys slept in my brother’s room.
We stayed up all night playing hide and seek in the dark and by the time we
finally went to sleep it was time to wake up so everyone could go home. It was the
best birthday. Afterwards, my parents agreed to not have that many kids stay at
our house again.
As a child I channeled my creative energies by participating
in academic activities. I have always possessed a love for learning. One thing I
enjoyed to do was read, after I read a book I put it on a bookshelf I had in my
room. I remember specifically when I was eight years old and I would stay in my
bedroom and alphabetize my books and write numbers inside the cover, then I would
pretend I owned a library and I checked books out to fake people. 
Along with
pretending to have a library, I pretended to be a teacher. I would construct a
lesson plan and place my stuffed animals in rows, as if they were in desks. My
mom would buy me books that had math activities, reading activities, or writing
activities. I taught my fake class the work in those books. When I no longer
wanted to play school I would do my brother’s, who is four years older, math
homework.
That lasted until I was in the sixth grade, at that time I signed up
for the school band and learned to play the flute. I gained a passion for
playing music and from then on I channeled my energies into playing musical
instruments. Beginning in the sixth grade I played the flute, by the time I graduated
I was able to also play the piano and percussion instruments (such as snare and
xylophone). Academic activities have shaped my life by allowing me to make
outstanding grades in school with no difficulties. Still to this day when I am
troubled by life I pick up a book or play an instrument and I am transported
into a world that nobody else can enter. 
