Loss of innocense.

[Optimist Prime]

Hey peeples. When was your loss of innocense? Not virginity, neccesarily, but when you realised the world wasn't quite what you thought? I want to hear other stories before i tell mine.

[ZTAngel]

I don't know exactly when I lost my innocence but I can tell you when I finally "grew up". It was my first month up at college. It was a few months past my 18th birthday and I was on my own for the first time in my life. I had gone about 2 weeks without seeing my parents which was the longest I had ever gone in my life. I was kinda lonely although I had a lot of friends there. I realized that I wasn't a kid anymore. I could no longer use the excuse "but I'm a kid" if I ever got myself into trouble. Also, I no longer had my parents to bail me out of trouble or solve my problems. I had relied a lot on them when growing up and for the first time ever, I was on my own. I was doing my own grocery shopping, cooking for myself, cleaning up after myself, and paying my bills. It was really hard at first because as I was learning to be independent I also had classes and pledging to worry about. But, I got use to it and I am now way more independent then I ever imagined I'd be. I can't even begin to think of what it would be like to live back at home with my parents and have them do everything for me again. And, personally, I wouldn't want them to.

[Kevin]

For me I'd say it was a pretty gradual process... Probably one thing that really played into my picture of "the world" was when I went on a stint through Morrocco on a vacation a couple of years back. Anyone who's been to a 3rd world country like that really can't see the world with the rose colored glasses that most Americans look through.

Within seconds of being on the street people identified the group I was with as foriegners. I got offered old playboys (contraband there), hashish and various cheap trinkets by the 'panhandlers' that were there in the casbah (sp?) to make their living.

I saw a child probably around 7 or 8 years old go from my group (english speaking) to german and even to japanese. I was told that they could usually speak around 8 languages (with no formal training!)

Driving around Tangiers you saw people basically living out of glorified wooden boxes... A very eye opening experience basically..

[Optimist Prime]

wow
mine is kiind of embarissing but oh well. It was when I found my mom's (at least I hope its my mom's and not my dad's. Maybe they share but I don't want to think about that) vibrator. We were learning about religion in school and I was looking for the bible. Wrong drawer.

[LyonAZD]

I was 17 when my happy little world came crashing down. I come from a VERY small town and school. One of my very good friends and neighbor died suddenly. He was only 18, set to graduate as valedictorian, had a full ride scholarship, and EVERYONE loved him. THe night before the quarterfinal game of the state basketball playoffs, he had a stomach aneurism and died instantly. Talk about a wake up call. It took a long time to realize that things like that really do happen and especially to people who have so bright a future.

[CrimsonTide4]

Originally posted by Optimist Prime
wow
mine is kiind of embarissing but oh well. It was when I found my mom's (at least I hope its my mom's and not my dad's. Maybe they share but I don't want to think about that) vibrator. We were learning about religion in school and I was looking for the bible. Wrong drawer.

This was not my loss of innocence but something similar as yours Optimist Prime. This was after my parents had separated for the 3rd time, I did laundry and always had to put my mom's up in her drawers. Well I went to her underwear drawer and there was this little bottle in the front corner of the drawer. The bottle -- chocolate nipple drops. I never did tell her what I saw.

[Peaches-n-Cream]

I saw a high school girl in a Catholic school uniform get hit by a car, and the driver just drove away without stopping to help. I was about to get on my bus to go home and I think that I was in shock. I told the bus driver that she needed help and that we should call 911. He wanted to know if I wanted to on or not because he had a schedule to meet. The girl didn't seem to be seriously injured because she stood up and walked across the street assisted by a friend so I got on the bus. I was in such a state about the hit and run and the bus driver's indifference. I called the police precinct and left my name and the license plate of the car, but I never heard from them.

[Periwinkle]

Originally posted by Optimist Prime
wow
mine is kiind of embarissing but oh well. It was when I found my mom's (at least I hope its my mom's and not my dad's. Maybe they share but I don't want to think about that) vibrator. We were learning about religion in school and I was looking for the bible. Wrong drawer.

Oedipus Prime--I think its kinda werid that a guy (or gal for that matter) would want to start a topic just to share about finding his mom's vibrator?

[justamom]

I wish I didn't have to get ready for work, because this is a VERY interesting topic Billy. At first glance, I think I feel like ktsnake-a gradual process.

As a side note-the day a chld realizes his parents have sex CAN be an eye popper. Not for everyone...a lot depends on the age.

I want to think about this.

[James]

I guess honesty can be considered wierd in this day and age Periwinkle . . that is what makes it so prescious.

However, I would love to be a fly on the wall of the living room if someone forwarded this post to OP's parents . . . might strike a lively conversation when he comes home

Originally posted by Periwinkle


Oedipus Prime--I think its kinda werid that a guy (or gal for that matter) would want to start a topic just to share about finding his mom's vibrator?

[justamom]

Maybe it happens by moments. In second grade I saw a colt, bolt out of a trailer and hit it's head on the barn wall. A few days later I saw it dead-bloated and-well just think of "The Little Red Pony" and that's a lot like what I saw.

Then in 6th grade we were watching Pollyanna at school they stopped the film and announced Kennedy was shot.

My dearest guy friend died his freshman yr in college too-his appendix ruptured. I've lost more friends along the way and each time it has changed me and the way I look at life.

The thing that has really affected me is realizing that the nature of people seems to have sucumbed to looking out for number 1. People lie. Adults lie more than children. I cherish an honest person as they are getting harder and harder to find.

The one moment that is irrefutable in my eyes, is when a parent dies. No one will ever love you like they do and that loss strips any little shred of innocence left.

Billy----I found some condoms in my Mom's drawer. She was there and I asked WHAT ARE THESE! She said baloons!
hmmmmm I BELIEVED her! I was kind of old too!

[SigkapAlumWSU]

A couple years back, I remember having a hard time with my parents. Then we got a phone call. A close family friend (who I call uncle for loss of a better term) had been dealing with Pancreatic (sp?) cancer. I had seen him fairly recently, and he was so thin (normally a very "jolly" guy). I remember my mom picking up the phone and just crying, handing it to my dad, and him walking away. I still haven't seen him cry, but it was a really hard thing to watch. It's the point I suddenly realized that people do pass on, and they aren't always going to be there. He was the first person I knew personally that died.

More recently, I found out that my Grandfather has Alzeimers. He lives in England, thousands of miles away, and I watch my mom try to deal with that. It's a real eye opener, knowing she is too far away to be there and help them deal with it.

[UDZETA]

When did I lose my innocense or grew up? There has been many events in my life. When I was in second grade a girl who was a friend of mine fall off the monkey bars and died. She had heart problems but it was so fast and she was so young. My father's best friend was shot and killed in his home. They said he killed himself but police believed someone shot him. When I was a senior I got really sick and I could have died. It was after that I realized I could die anytime....it was a scary thing to realize. There are other things that have affected me through life and the interesting part is I'm only 18 which means there is still a ton left to learn! UDZETA

[KarenC725]

Unfortunately, I've seen a lot of deaths (esp. of people close to me) but the actual "life really isn't fair, sane, or what I thought it should be" moment... When the doctor told me I may not be able to have children. Talk about changing your view on things...

[Tom Earp]

Innocense= 6 th grade

Grow up= not yet!

I want to be PETER, Pan that is all of my life!

Billy I LUV YA MAN, but you are not on a full plumb bob!

We All Luv Ya Man!