Important Dates

 For this assignment, we are exploring important dates for different people. I choose to compare my three most memorable dates to my older sister's dates, Kate. Kate and I have a five-year age gap but were still very close growing up. I expected us to have different dates yet still be familiar with the dates the other person selected. 

    For my first date, I choose January 3rd, 2012. This was the day we adopted my dog, Beau, from the ASPCA. I was in fifth grade. For Christmas that year the only thing I wanted was a puppy. Christmas came and went, but no puppy. I remember being grateful for the gifts I did receive but devastated I still didn't have a dog. Christmas break ended on January 3rd, and I returned to school with everyone asking if I finally had a dog. It appeared my classmates were just as disappointed as I was that I was still pet-less. However, when I returned home from school my parents told my sisters and me to get in the car. They drove us to the ASPCA. When we got there, we saw Beau, a nine-month-old Beagle-Pitbull-mix. I was immediately in love with his tiny sad eyes. He was the only dog in the shelter that was not barking. We all knew he was the one. Since that day Beau, who is now eleven years old has been my best friend. I will forever be grateful that we arrived at the ASPCA in time to take him home before someone else could. 

My next date is June 25th, 2018. This was the Date I moved to Japan. Though most of this day was spent in various airports and on different airplanes, it is still one of the most pivotal days in my life. Living in Japan marked a huge change in the person I am. I was so excited to move and experience a new country, yet I was filled with anxiety about leaving the only place I had ever called home. I remember going to the bathroom in the Tokyo airport and not knowing how the flush the toilet because there were so many buttons. This will forever be one of the most important days in my life. 

My final date is July 28th, 2020. This was the day I met my current boyfriend Tyrese Lee. Tyrese and I matched on Tinder and hit it off immediately. From our first conversation, I knew he would be an important person in my life. I felt scared about starting something new after an emotionally troubling relationship I had before him but hopeful that it would work out. That day Tyrese and I discussed the things we wanted in life and what we were looking for in a partner and our values lined up. Since that day he has been the most important person in my life. I will never regret my decision to swipe right.  

The first date my sister chose was August 13th, 2018, the day she moved to South Carolina for Grad School. When I asked why it was important to her, she said “The day I moved to South Carolina is important to me because I'll never forget how terrified I was. This was the first instance in which I made a decision for myself and not for anyone else. All of my decisions previously had been made based on my level of comfortability- Is it close to home? Do I know others? Do I have a good understanding of how my life will turn out afterward? I took a leap of faith, and it ended up being one of the best decisions I've ever made. A decision I made because I didn't listen to fear.”

Her next date was her wedding day, April 10th, 2021. She said “This date is special because I got to marry Taylor. "When you know you know" was never something I thought I would get to experience. However, I knew that marrying Taylor was meant to be. This day is special because we made a commitment to one another to love each other unconditionally in front of all of our family and friends. It wasn't perfect, but I wouldn't change anything about it. I often have some form of anxiety almost every day, but on this date, after we got married, I was so at peace. One detail I'll never forget is waking up before all of my bridesmaids and sitting outside by myself to pray. There was so much happening that day that it was special to sit still for a moment and reflect on what was to come.”

Her final date is August 2nd, 2022. This is the day my sister and her husband bought their first home, Kate said “The day we bought our first house. This is the most recent date, but one I know I'll never forget. I again was nervous about this date and the days leading up to it. It is the biggest financial decision I've ever made. It again felt like taking a leap of faith. Buying a house has taught me that I need to work hard for the things I want. It has given me a new appreciation for the things I value- time and family. One memory I'll always have is walking through the house for the first time. It wasn't perfect by any means and still isn't, but there's a sense of immense pride that this was my own.”

Since my sister and I both chose personal dates, we did not have any overlap. Since we are sisters, we were both in each other’s lives for these events. I was at her wedding with Taylor. She came to Japan with me until she moved to South Carolina. In fact, she was the one who showed me how to flush the toilet in the airport bathroom. Also were both at the ASPCA to get Beau. I found it interesting that even though we have many of the same experiences we have a different points of view and value those days differently.