Dateline San Francisco: Reflection: Julie Writes:

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Ok, so I've gotten it wrong a couple of times....
Beliefs that I have fervently defended to others

Age 5: The existence of Santa ClauseAfter recieving my very own automated "Julie" doll for my 5th birthday that could talk, laugh and read for gods sake, I am feeling particularly indebted to St. Nick. When I go to kindergarten the first day back from break, Michael Howl declares to the entire class that, Santa Clause is a hoax, that his dad told him, and that three first graders have confirmed it this morning. This turns into an all out arguement between a group of say, five kids, ending with two in tears but all siding with Michael. All except me. I furiously attack Michael -- saying, among other things 'maybe he just doesn't want to visit YOU'.

Age 8: The Ability to Fly

I was watching a lot of Peter Pan at the time. I took an entire bar of irish spring soap and shaved it up into little flakes and convinced katie tramarie to jump off our kitchen table. I tell her if she really really really believes she'll be able to fly. (When, after 2 hours, it becomes clear katie is not going to fly, I tell her it's her fault because she didn't believe hard enough.)

Age 10: The Power of Non-Violence

During my mom's meeting of the Order of St. Francis of Assisi one of the other group members' kid hits me. He has blond hair and slip-on shoes and dirty jeans. I tell him hitting is wrong. I tell him it actually hurts him more, deep down, than me when he hits. He proceeds to beat the (xxxx) out of me for the next half hour.

Age 14: People Deserve What They Get

We are about to read Native Son in 9th grade english class and Mr. Hartje makes us discuss how much responsiblity society should take it's role in producing crime/poverty. I say that people are 100% responsible for what happens to them. You choose whether to be shaped by society. After we finish reading the book, I soften slightly and say maybe society has a 5% share.

Age 15: He Started it.I punch my ex-boyfriend hard, on the leg, during an arguement we have while sitting together at pepband. He punches me back on my arm. I argue with him for the whole game and at the end of the arguement begin insisting that he started it by punching me on the arm. It takes our pepband teacher, Mr. Zwbleski, who saw the whole thing stepping in to convince me that I am wrong.

Age 18: That's Dr. Woulfe to youI announce to all family and friends that i am going to be a doctor. Sure I've played around with the idea of being a bioethicist. But no, it's the practice of medicine that calls me. I shadow a physician's assistant at St. Mary's Hospital. I wear scrubs. A lot. I go to the University of Wisconsin Madison's "Med Scholars day". We get to touch cadavers. I write a brillant application, outlining why I have always known that I would be a doctor. two years later, I leave the pre-med track when I can't seem to wake up for sophmore year biology class at 8 am.

Posted by JMW at 12:55 PM 0 comments
Thursday, February 8, 2007