Experience

Experience

carla.ornelas@gmail.com
On writing another application letter to accompany my curriculum vitae, I asked myself the following question: What experience of life do I have? I recall a conversation with my boss about experience and told him that life and time is a teacher and that some things cannot be taught by an educational system. Being a proud graduate he then said to me that no matter how useless a graduate it, he will always be a problem solver whilst the uneducated man is lucky if he finds out the answers. What I responded was what caused the first tension between the two of us: the education the graduate receives obligates him to solve problems whilst the uneducated man that learns on his own becomes an experienced, self-educated intellectual. These are my experiences:

I’ve tickled my little brother to keep him from crying.
I’ve burnt my fingers playing with candles and my heart when playing with fire.
I’ve blown big bubbles with gum that burst and got all over my face and hair.
I’ve galloped a horse, ridden a car over 200km\hr and bungee jumped
I’ve spoken to my mirror and sang to my hairbrush.
I’ve wanted to become a doctor, a singer, a veterinarian and a teacher.
I’ve hidden behind curtains, under blankets and under my clothes.
I’ve told jokes, pulled pranks and laughed until my tummy ached.
I’ve walked in the rain, swam in the ocean under the stars and drowned in my own tears.
I’ve caught a stare, stolen a kiss and gotten feelings mixed up.
I’ve walked down the wrong path, the right path and continue into the unknown path
I’ve opened the door of an empty refrigerator and sat down to a plentiful table.
I’ve missed the bus, cut my finger with a knife and tripped on my shoe laces.
I’ve cried over a song, watching a movie and with a friend.
I’ve regretted, I’ve apologized, I’ve forgiven and forgotten and learnt that something’s and some people are simply unforgettable.
I’ve climbed trees, climbed mountains, reached my goals, reached my deadlines and reach for the stars.
I’ve been a fan, I’ve been a follower and I’ve been inspired
I’ve kept secrets, made promises and given advice.
I’ve stood silent, screamed at the top of my lungs and cried on my bathroom floor.
I’ve ran away and I’ve run back home, I will to stay as much as I will to go.
I’ve wiped tears, offered my shoulder and ran to be with someone that needs me.
I’ve feared the dark; I’ve feared the unknown and feared fear itself.
I’ve felt alone in a large crowd and felt special in the presence of one amazing person.
I’ve seen the stars shining brightly, sunrises; sunsets and the days go by on my calendar.
I’ve put my head to sleep wishing I’d never wake up and lay in the bathtub with my head underwater not wanting to come up again.
I’ve tasted the sweetest kiss and the sourest regret.
I’ve drunk too much and got put into bed; I drank even more and felt sober.
I’ve said goodbye to old friends and welcomed new friends into my life.
I’ve felt at home in cold city and out of place in a familiar town.
I’ve believed in people, in angels and in myself.
I’ve written amazing things, said wonderful speeches and been at a loss for words.
I’ve trembled in someone’s arms and held someone in my embrace.
I’ve died of a broken heart and revived with the smile of someone special.
I’ve slept late and woken up in the middle of the night.
I’ve made bets and taken up dares.
I’ve told secrets and lies to keep a friend from getting hurt.
I’ve had forever end, and an unlikely friendship become eternal.
I’ve lain in the green grass and lost myself in a book.
I’ve cried hard at goodbyes and even harder at hellos.
I’ve stayed up late with my best friend just talking.
I’ve come home at 6am to lemonade and cold pizza.
I’ve lay in hot beaches, sat in the mountains, sludged in the mud and played in the snow.
I’ve held a little baby in my arms, a frightened child and a broken man.
I’ve shared ideas; I’ve shared my thoughts and shared my dreams.
I’ve won, I’ve failed, I’ve tried.
I’ve persevered; I’ve given up and motivated others into trying.
I’ve hated, I’ve regretted and I’ve loved.
I’ve lived, I live and I’ll keep on living.

Experience is a matter of perspective, you cannot predict a person’s abilities by what they went through, and rather you learn their capacities by watching them try. A book is only a book when it has an ending. In the school of life, you only graduate the day you leave inside a coffin.