Friday 30 April 2010

Part Z: Zinc

When I was a kid, every child walked around with fluorescent pink, yellow, green, blue or orange noses during the summer. I despised the stuff - it made me look like a clown. But my teachers insisted I wear it while in the playground for protection from the sun. But I never understood exactly how it was supposed to protect me when it was just on my nose. "Are they bloody stupid?" I thought.

I really wanted to let them know that we should've been putting it on our whole faces, but then they would've probably made me do just that, which would've resulted in me walking around looking like an flippin' sponge cake. I was made fun of enough with the fruit loop stockings I liked to wear on out-of-uniform days - I didn't need anything to make me an easy summer target too.

Then, one day, one of my classmates asked the dreaded question. "Oh no!" I thought. "Now I'm doomed." But to my surprise, the teacher replied, "That's a very good question, Luke. We put it on our nose because it is the first part of our face that the sun hits." Then she gave him three gold stars on his school work.

The moral of this story is: Never hold back. Go with your gut. Don't ever be afraid to speak up and trust your instincts. Face your fears, otherwise, you miss out on life. Then life will have the opportunity to bring you a few gold stars when you least expect it.

21 comments:

  1. Cute story and great moral. lol. It's so true. I don't know how many times in school, I knew an answer, or had a question, that I didn't answer or ask, and someone else did, and got the credit.

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  2. Great story! It's really easy to let being afraid of ridicule and appearing uncool hold you back, but not holding back is a great advice!

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  3. AMEN!

    I've spent most of my life holding back and letting someone else get those gold stars. I'm done with that crap...I'm sittin' in the front row from now on!

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  4. What an awesome message! I'm going to remember your words the next time I have a gut feeling about something.

    Congrats on completing the A-Z challenge! Whoot! You rock :))

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  5. Love it! Now where's my gold stars?

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  6. I'll have to read this one to my kids. Just goes to show you there are no stupid questions.

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  7. Great story!!! Great lessons, sometimes it's hard to remember to go with your gut and face your fears but I'm glad you reminded me!

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  8. Ooo my name is on your blog for the blogfest!!! Sorry I was a little overly excited!

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  9. Cute!
    I was never one of the girls who could get away with wearing zinc either.

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  10. Wait a minute-- zinc cream in flourescent colors? We never had that-- we just had white creme. Fortunately, I don't remember having to ever wear it.

    And stupid questions? I really did ask stupid questions. The problem was I was being serious. I always did have a weird surrealistic way of thinking that no one else could really appreciate.

    Lee
    May 3rd A to Z Challenge Reflections Mega Post

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  11. Hahaha!! That is hilarious! I mean, Oh, sorry that you didn't get the gold stars...

    But seriously, great moral! :)

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  12. Great moral. Can't believe the challenge has finished wow. :o) well done xxxx

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  13. in our neck of the woods, the only thing we put on our faces as children was fly dope to ward off mosquitos, black flies, and no-see-ums. now i know how lucky i was.

    liked the moral of the story though:) congratulations. job well done on the A to Z challenge!:)

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  14. First Congratulations on completing the Challenge, well done.
    Another interesting post, I can't recall us having flouresant zinc, perhaps it was there but I didn't notice it.
    Have a super day.
    Take care.
    Yvonne.

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  15. Not being afraid to ask questions can be a difficult issue to overcome. Good post and example.

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  16. I asked that question as a kid and got that same answer, but then I said, "But aren't the suns rays moving, yanno, at the speed of LIGHT, so then what difference does it make that it gets there sooner? by infintesimal fractions of a second?" My teachers hated me.

    I still don't get it!

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  17. That is actually an excellent moral to the story ... but your teacher was full of crap.

    Speaking as someone who was as pale as all the members of the Cullen family growing up. The sun will easily burn any part of your skin it sees. The forehead is generally more susceptible to sunburn than the nose ... just sayin.

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  18. Oh how I remember all of those bright and vivid colors my own nose used to sport. I loved it though!

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  19. So true so true!!! Thanks for this awesome post and reminding me of how short and precious life is!

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  20. A memorable post about being authentic and saying what's on your mind.

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  21. I always wondered about Aussie preoccupation with zinc (was first introduced it when I saw it on the faces of some of your cricketers).

    And so true, about being true to yourself and not holding back.

    ~ Rayna

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“I'm using my art to comment on what I see. You don't have to agree with it.” ~John Mellencamp

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