Comparing Upbringings

          In Writer's Craft this semester we're reading The Glass Castle. I've already read the book, which makes related assignments a lot easier. It's a memoir of the life of author Jeannette Walls, whose unpredictable and controversial upbringing always leads to classroom discussion (for that reason, I'd suggest it to teachers).
          My teacher asked us to write about our own childhood in comparison to that of Jeannette's- definitely a topic thick with contrast. Jeannette was raised with a sense of adventure and danger and recklessness. I'm tentative to show envy of some aspects of Jeannette's life- she demonstrates a certain gumption that I'd rather earn in alternative ways. Her life is ruled by a very definite unpredictability. I imagine only those who've read the book can fully grasp this oxymoron. It keeps the reader turning pages even after recurring paraphrases of the veritable lie, "Everything's fine now."
           To write a thoughtful response to the topic at hand, I had to consider my own situation. I found it difficult to find myself in a land of dreamers, where readers find their own lives becoming the story. Readers often believe a situation as romantic as Jeannette's can only be found in stories- although I like to believe the heart of the memoir isn't captivating in going-ons, but rather in impeccable writing. If we take the vivid descriptions and momentum of plot from The Glass Castle, we're left only with the drab in-between which we all experience in the bulk of our lives. The part that isn't worth writing about.
           Albeit my apparent hesitance to admit it, there are a few things I envy of Jeannette's life. She's been many places, she's tried many things (how many other kids have gotten to pet a cheetah?), and she's lived many hardfalls. The obvious things. Realistically, there are a few aspects of her life which I believe could be translated to my own life, which I felt the most effective. For one, the Walls family has a knack for leaving things behind.
         We had an in-class excercise last week in which we had to write all the things we would bring if we had 10 minutes to pack the car. It didn't surprise me that everyone chose the same 'necessities': phones, wallets, clothes, pets, food. Some mentionned sentimental belongings. Everyone was more than amused by the excercise; we all knew it was unrealistic. Here is where I see some of the strongest contrast between our own lives and those of the Walls family. What's unrealistic for us is simply living for the Walls.
          Living by this example could be a healthy improvement for the vast majority of people like us- people living in cities and suburbs- people with money. We could all clear our lives of the needless, redistribute and reconsider what clouds our homes and our minds. Letting go is a life skill that our consumerist nation can learn from the example of the Walls family.