Tabatha Deans

Busy Week in the Country

I can’t believe another week has flown by. We (Kathy and I and the boys) went to the Alpine Slide in Park City, then did a little back to school shopping. I’ve written three articles for the Vernal Express this week, and spent today touring the newly remodeled Middle school, which was actually the junior high when I went to school. Mr. Sullivan was my math teacher, and  I remember him well because he couldn’t stand Kathy, and even threw a piece of chalk at her one day when her cackling in class put him over the edge. He didn’t just throw it in her general direction, he threw it with the full intent of making contact with what I”m sure was what he considered to be her big mouth. That was back when teacher’s had full reign in the classroom, of course he would have been sued and fired had he done that today.

He’s now the curriculum specialist for the school district, so he took me on a tour of the new facilities. It was a little weird going back to the junior high. I’m starting to have flashbacks to my younger days, and remembering things that I had forgotten about, like Mr. Sullivan trying to kill Kathy with chalk. Growing up here I couldn’t wait until I was 18 and could leave. Not because I had a bad childhood, but because I always knew this town was too small for me. I thank my mother for that. She was determined to educate us children, and spent a lot of time taking us to the library and making sure we knew there was something else out there than what we saw in this little town.

Unfortunately, many mothers here don’t feel the same way. There’s a strange phenomena here when it comes to mothers and their children. Where most mothers would make sure their children knew they could do anything and go anywhere, the mothers here are afraid that their children might actually leave, or that by having their children achieve more makes them bad mothers. It’s really sad to see so many smart kids being held back because of their mother’s insecurities. I don’t include the fathers in the picture because most of them are working and I’m not sure they know their kids can leave and do  better. Don’t get me wrong, I think life in a small town is great if that’s what you choose, but I don’t think kids should be led to believe that that’s all there is in life. But, writing for the Express I think gives me a good chance to show the kids, and their parents, that it’s okay to want to be bigger than where you came from.

This week is the Uintah County Fair, (last week was the Duchesne County Fair) and we went to watch Joe Nichols in concert at the Western park. I’m not a big Joe nichols fan, although for some reason I had an epiphany while I was watching him perform. They introduced him and said he had recently married his long time sweetheart, and best friend. That struck a cord in me, that made me really wonder if I can handle, or want to, spent the rest of my life with just one person. The wanderlust is really calling me, and although I was nervous about starting my journey several weeks ago, now I can’t wait to see where it takes me.

As I sat under the stars and listened to the music, I could feel my heart wandering to different places, and all of a sudden, I didn’t feel confined to just the route I have planned for the next year. For the first time, I REALLY realized that I truly can go anywhere, and do anything. I always pictured myself traveling around the world to write, and tonight the reality of being able to do it hit me. My possibilities truly are endless, and although I would like to meet a man who could enhance my life, I’m not sure just one will satisfy me. I might need one in every “Port” so to speak, maybe one on each continent, who knows.

August 15, 2008 - Posted by Tabatha Stewart | Uncategorized