Electronics vs. Life by Melissa B.

Everyone has a different idea of what value and wealth are. Some people think value is if you have everything expensive and everything you want. Others think it is the things and necessities that people really need in life and love. Wealth? It is how much money you have, the number of things that you have, the amount of money that you’ve spent on things that aren’t needed in life? I don’t think so. What I think is that we need the people in the world to realize that wealth and value aren’t always about money but it can be about the wealth that you have in a loving family and all the friends that you have. That is just important if not even more than money wealth.

*****

I give my dad the money in exchange for his credit card. I punch in the numbers on my keyboard and type in my address for it to be delivered to. It’s complete. 7-8 business days it will finally be here. I give my dad back his card with a big happy grin on my face as he asked me “are you sure you want to buy something this expensive?” Without hesitation I say “yes.” It’s the fifth day and I can’t wait any longer. The Fed-Ex truck starts rumbling down the street. He gets closer and closer every second that I watch it. Finally it slows down and rolls to a stop. The man starts walking up my driveway and before he could get to the door I run out and take the package from him. It is addressed to Melissa Bak. I get a pare of scissors and start to cut the tape off. I open the box and look inside. I see it… all white and shiny and new with my name engraved on the back. The headphones in a wrapper and no fingers have touched them until now. I took it out and lifted it to eye level. It was my ipod.

I’ve had my ipod forever now. Almost 3 years. I use it almost everyday whether I’m in the car listening to it or it is in my IHome and I’m listening to it in the shower. I download the latest from Itunes and add it to my 200 something song collection. Taylor Swift, Soulja Boy, Carrie Underwood, Akon, Lifehouse, The Jonas Brothers, Plain White T’s and Daughtry are just a few examples of some artists that are on my ipod.

Some ways that I use my ipod would be going on runs with it, relaxing with it, focusing with it, and sometimes getting pumped up for my games or swim meets with it. Sometimes at practice we take long runs or sometimes at home I’ll go out for a run so I will take my ipod out push the headphones in my ears and concentrate on the music rather than how long I have to run since running isn’t my favorite thing in the world. I relax with some songs on my ipod sometimes if it is really later and I can’t get to sleep because I’d be really excited about something I’ll put my ipod on to some calmer music and try to get to sleep. I focus sometimes with my ipod while I’m doing my homework or to clear my head if I’ve been doing homework for a long time. Getting pumped for games and swim meets is important because you need to be ready to give it your all and win. So before the games/swim meets I will listen to music to get me pumped. Sometimes I simply listen to music in the car because there is nothing else to do. My ipod had been dropped, stepped on, lost and licked by my dog but no matter what is always looks, sounds and turns out okay.

*****

Where on our way as we pass two state lines as we get more excited ever mile we get closer. Finally we get off the exit and see street lights again. We take a right, then a left and round three bends. We roll down our windows and stick out our heads to get a strong whiff of the salty beach. Finally a house that looks familiar. The one I’ve been in ever since I was born. We run inside to find our cousins already in their bathing suits and beach toys by there sides. They look at us and say “Let’s Go!” and once I watch them all run out the door down the street I then know I’m finally here, in Moody Beach, Maine.

Moody beach, Maine is where my entire family all go for a week in the summer ever since I was born. My cousins, Alison, Alexandra, Harry and Caroline, my Auntie Diane and Auntie Kimmy, my Uncle Tom and Uncle Ed, my Grampie and my Mom, Dad, and brother Brian. Most of the time that we are there we go to the beach and jump the waves with our boogie board. We also go to the Kittery Trading Post (a great shopping place), Perkins Cove, Kennebunk Port, the penny candy store and many more places. Ever year we do the same exact things. Which may sound boring but it is so fun!

The beach is my favorite place to go in Maine. At the beach my cousins and I go in the ocean and jump the waves, make huge castles and forts to sit in, listen to our ipods and tan. I love being with my family because they always make me happy. Also one of the kids’ favorites is to ride the trolley. I know that me and my cousins are getting older and older every year but I think no matter what age we are we will always go to Moody Beach Maine and spend a week with the entire family. Yea, the house is getting a little small every year for all 13 of us but we’ll manage. Going to Maine every year is something no one can take away from me because it has no value… it is priceless.

*****

Everyone values things differently whether they have a value or a memory. Things that are priceless seem more needed and makes me happier than things with a money value. My ipod is one of many things that I value very much. Someone would have the ability to take it away from me but not my priceless times. Going to Maine is something that I will always do, remember, treasure and never forget all the great times that I’ve spent with my family.