摘要：
GrowingPains:AnAdventureinSelf-DiscoverySubheading:ASixthGrader'sJourneytoUnderstandin... GrowingPains:AnAdventureinSelf-Discovery
Subheading:ASixthGrader'sJourneytoUnderstandingHerself
Foreword:
Growingupisatoughbusiness,andnooneknowsthisbetterthan12-year-oldIsabella.Withmiddleschoolonthehorizonandanewfoundinterestinboys,Isabellafeelslikeshe'sinaconstantstateofconfusion.Butwhenshestumblesuponanoldfamilyheirloom,shebeginsajourneyofself-discoverythatwillchangeherlifeforever.Isabellawasrummagingthroughhergrandmother'satticwhenshecameacrossanoldleather-boundjournal.Assheflippedthroughthepages,shenoticedsomethingstrange.Thehandwritinglookedfamiliar.Itwashermother'shandwriting.Shehadneverseenhermotherwriteinajournalbefore.Curiositypiqued,shesatdowntoread.Thejournalwasfilledwithstoriesfromhermother'schildhood,storiesofgrowingupandfindingherself.Isabellawasfascinated.Shehadneverreallythoughtabouthermotherasapersonwithherownstorybefore.Asshereadon,sherealizedthattherewassomuchshedidn'tknowaboutherownfamily.
Isabellabegantoreflectonherownlife,onthethingsthatmadeherwhoshewas.Shethoughtaboutthethingssheliked,thethingsshedidn'tlike,thethingsthatscaredher,andthethingsthatmadeherhappy.Sherealizedthatshedidn'treallyknowwhoshewas,andthatscaredher.Isabellastartedtoquestioneverything.Shequestionedherfriendships,herinterests,evenherfamily.Wasshereallyhappywithwhoshewas?Didshereallylikethethingsshesaidsheliked?Wasshejusttryingtofitin?Isabella'squestioningwasputtothetestwhenshedevelopedacrushonaboyinherclass.Shefoundherselfdoingthingssheneverwouldhavedonebefore,justtoimpresshim.Butasshesatandthoughtaboutit,sherealizedthatshedidn'treallylikehim.Shejustlikedtheideaofhim.Isabella'snewfoundself-awarenesscreatedaconflictwithinher.Shedidn'tknowwhoshewasanymore,andthatscaredher.Shedidn'twanttobedifferentfromherfriends,butshealsodidn'twanttobesomeoneshewasn't.
Isabelladecidedtoconductanexperiment.Shewouldtrynewthingsandseehowtheymadeherfeel.Shewouldbehonestwithherselfaboutwhatshelikedanddidn'tlike.Itwasscary,butitwasalsoexciting.Isabelladiscoveredthatshelikedthingssheneverthoughtshewouldlike.Shediscoveredthatshedidn'thavetobelikeeveryoneelsetobehappy.Shediscoveredthatitwasokaytobeherself.Isabellafoundthecouragetobeherself,tostandupforwhatshebelievedin,andtonotbeafraidofwhatothersthoughtofher.Itwasliberating.AsIsabellachanged,sodidherfriendships.Shefoundnewfriendswhoacceptedherforwhoshewas,andletgooffriendswhodidn't.Itwashard,butitwasnecessary.
Isabella'sself-discoverybroughtherclosertoherfamily.Shebegantounderstandthembetter,andtheybegantounderstandherbetter.Theytalkedmore,laughedmore,andlovedeachothermore.AsIsabella'ssixth-gradeyeardrewtoaclose,shecelebratedhernewfoundidentity.Shewasnolongerafraidtobeherself.Shehadgrownsomuchinjustafewshortmonths.Isabellagraduatedfromsixthgradewithanewfoundconfidence.Sheknewthatmiddleschoolwouldbringnewchallenges,butshewasreadyforthem.Sheknewwhoshewas,andthatwasallthatmattered.Isabellaspentthesummerbeforemiddleschooldoingthingssheloved,exploringnewinterests,andmakingnewfriends.Itwasthebestsummerofherlife.
Asthefirstdayofmiddleschoolapproached,Isabellafeltnervousbutexcited.Sheknewthatshewouldfacenewchallengesandnewexperiences,butshewasreadyforthem.Isabella'smothergavehersomeadvicebeforethefirstdayofschool.Shetoldhertobeherself,tobehonestwithherselfandothers,andtoneverbeafraidofwhoshewas.Isabellawalkedintomiddleschoolwithanewfoundconfidence.Sheknewthatshemightnotfitinwitheveryone,butthatwasokay.Shewashappywithwhoshewas,andthatwasallthatmattered.Middleschoolbroughtnewchallenges,butIsabellafacedthemhead-on.Shestoodupforwhatshebelievedin,madenewfriends,andtriednewthings.Itwasn'talwayseasy,butitwasworthit.
AsIsabellamovedthroughmiddleschool,shecontinuedtogrowandchange.Shediscoverednewthingsaboutherselfandtheworldaroundher.Shebegantounderstandthatlifewasajourney,andthatshewasjustatthebeginning.BythetimeIsabellagraduatedfrommiddleschool,shehadtransformedintoaconfident,self-assuredyoungwoman.Shehaddiscoveredherpassions,madelifelongfriends,andbecomecomfortableinherownskin.Isabella'sjourneyofself-discoveryhadbeenlongandsometimesdifficult,butithadbeenworthit.Sheknewthatshestillhadalottolearnandexperience,butshewasexcitedforthejourneyahead.Isabellalearnedthatitwasokaytoquestioneverything,totrynewthings,andtobeherself.Shelearnedthatlifewasaboutgrowth,change,andself-discovery.Andmostimportantly,shelearnedthatshewasenoughjustthewayshewas.
