Student/Teacher Essay

Rebecca C.
Category: Grades 6-8 Middle School
Age: 13 / Grade:  8
The Meadows School
Las Vegas, Nevada
Teacher:  Mrs. Rebecca Reeder-Hunt

Humor Was Important To Me

The French author Victor Hugo once said, “Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.”  Who would ever imagine that a family bicycle excursion to a neighborhood art fair would provide a lesson in the value of humor?  That certainly was the last thing on my mind a couple of years ago, when part of my family decided to enjoy the beautiful spring morning by riding our bikes to Temple Beth Shalom, the location of the art fair.  I secured my helmet, adjusted my gears, and was ready to go, but since my bike was a bit too small for me, I was riding more slowly than my sister and my mother.  We were going down a hill, and they called to me to go faster.  I started pedaling, even though I really did not need to as I was going downhill, and the slope of the hill quickly caused me to lose control.  The last thing I remember is my bike swinging back and forth and shaking…then blackness…

When I awoke from unconsciousness later, I was a bit surprised to see a bandage around one hand and blood trickling from my face.  My mother and sister were staring at me, and I felt scared.  While my father and brother were driving to take me to get a CAT scan, there was another man standing next to me who was checking my bandages and asking me repeatedly if I was all right.  I answered politely and said I was fine.

When I was finally in the hospital, I started to worry that I had some brain damage, because I couldn’t remember how to do overall average.  “Mom,” I said, “I can’t remember overall average; I think I might have had some brain damage!  Oh, Mama, what should I do?  What if I can’t remember the –“ I was cut off by muffled laughter, then my entire family burst out laughing.  I guess everyone was relieved I was actually thinking and worrying about something – that I was the same person, always worrying about my performance in school.  Anyway, the CAT scan results showed my brain was absolutely fine, and I soon mastered the concept of overall average.  Humor always makes me feel better, even if things aren’t going well.