Kid, You’ll Move Mountains

13 January 2013Mollie G, Mackenzie ‘13

As any bright-eyed child, I was obsessed with Dr. Seuss. Preoccupied with the clever rhymes and brightly colored imagery, I didn’t understand the true meaning of Seuss’ messages, but later, wiser, I found comfort in statements such as “Oh the places you’ll go!” and “There is fun to be done!”

By December 10th , we Brentwood kids had used enough cue cards to build a paper castle. Our fingertips were stained with a variety of ink colours, the word ‘exam’ is engraved in our brains, and the thought of boarding an airplane to various ‘places’ sounds pretty, seriously good.

Now, not all of us are eager flyers. While some stock up on frequent flyer miles in their sleep, others, including me, would rather give a 5 hour speech than board an aircraft that lacks fresh oxygen and personal space. But, despite my fear of airplanes, even I know that traveling heightens opportunities and experience.

“It’s opener, out there, in the wide, open air” said Dr. Seuss.

My break did not consist of any aircraft or helicopters as I lurked around the winter wonderland of my lovely hometown in Whistler, BC, but luckily I had the chance to connect with many of my lucky classmates who had found the four corners of the earth.

Assigned with the task of tracking down Brentonians in the hopes of creating a collage/blog representing the various locations of my roommates, friends, and acquaintances, I asked my predecessor for a few tips. Bella Luke, Brentwood ’12, was ecstatic that she had started a blog tradition and told me “It was really cool to see the reactions from my friends & all the Brentwood kids.”

While I took in heartwarming results and creative responses, I really absorbed the significance of travel and the act of exploring the globe and surrounding yourself with people of all cultures.

In came the photos from Hawaii, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Arizona, Mexico, Montreal, Tofino, etc. as I reflected on the amazing cultural blend that we experience at Brentwood College. Like a well-blended smoothie, our different languages, customs, and knowledge mix together to create a beautiful, refreshing anti-oxidant.

My philosophical thought of the day? Face your fears and jump on a plane if you get the chance. Experience the world for all it has to offer and surround yourself with different people, because if you put yourself out there, “Kid you’ll move mountains.”

Mollie G, Mackenzie ‘13