The Big Rock in Wyoming Signed by the Israelites and How to Make Friends, by 10-year-old Me

I have been skimming through a bunch of journals that I have accumulated in my life. Prior to age 17 I only wrote a few entries in a couple of small journals. I have been reading these and chuckling through each entry. But a couple of comments I made when I was 10 take the cake. It appears I did most of my journal writing back then during the summer, so I describe a couple of summer road trips from my 10 year old perspective. Most of these trips were to and from Wyoming. Of a trip through Wyoming I wrote (with the spelling from the original entry):

“I forgot to mention on the way to Baggs we stopped by a rock, a BIG rock. When Moses led the Jews out of Egypt they all stopped by this rock and chissled their names in it. We tried climbing it, but it got steep.”

I laughed out loud for several minutes! How did I get it in my mind that a rock in Wyoming was signed by the Jews led out of Egypt by Moses? Either someone told me a tall tale or some sort of switch took place in my mind. After all, Independence Rock was signed by hundreds people who were migrating to the western United States from the East along the California, Oregon, Mormon, and Pony Express trails. But Moses and the ancient Israelites? That would definitely be something. No wonder I thought that rock was so cool! [To learn more about Independence Rock, please click this link http://www.wyomingtourism.org/thingstodo/detail/Independence-Rock-State-Historic-Site/3337 ]

The other entry that I really enjoyed took place by a hotel pool in Wyoming in July of 1995 (I was still 10 at the time). This is what I wrote (again, I used the spelling from my entry):

“Grandma and Grandpa took me to Wyoming for my grandpa’s Superior High School Reunion. When we got to Rock Springs we stayed at the Outlaw Inn. There is a pool there and we got pool side rooms. Since my parents and cousins weren’t with me I had to make friends with total strangers. Some were more interesting then others. I made friends with a girl from Tenesse (she had a strong accent), from Texas, Washington state. My system for making friends was this…You go up to the person and say “Hi.” Of course they say hi back.  Then you say “What’s your name?” They say their name and then ask you what yours is. Answer. Then you ask how old they are. Then you kind of tell them a bit about your life. Then I ask, “You want to play beach ball?” They usually say yes, but if they say no just hang around and talk. Then ask again, “You want to play beach ball?” They say yes.”
I suppose this is a system that I have used most of my life. It’s the way I met my husband though we were at church and there was no pool around so I couldn’t ask him to play beach ball. I would also suggest not asking people their age right off the bat.

These are just a couple of things that I am glad I have in my personal history. My personality at that age is evident. I was a happy, confident 10 year old who went on family road trips, saw historical sites, and made new friends by the hotel pool. Those are fond memories for me, and I consider them to be of great worth.