Two-Boy Weekend

"Jessica Wakefield made a huge mistake. So huge that it risked her twin sister's life and ruined her relationship with her boyfriend, A.J. Morgan. She dated a psycho over the weekend when her boyfriend was away."

This is one of the books of Sweet Valley High series of Francine Pascal. I enjoyed these books in my college days. We had them at our Reading Laboratory where I was assigned at. Now, I found them at Market Market and I enjoy reading them especially on a day like this - rainy and stormy.

[caption id="attachment_133" align="alignnone" width="182"] That's Jessica Wakefield and Christopher.[/caption]

Let's go back to the story. (The summary is copied from the back of the novel.)

Jessica Wakefield doesn't know how she'll survive a long weekend without her steady boyfriend, A.J. Morgan. But when she meets Christopher, a mysterious, good-looking boy, her lonely weekend turns into one of the most romantic times of her life. Jessica knows she'll have to stop seeing Christopher when A.J. returns, but in the meantime, she's going to enjoy herself. 

Then what started out as fun turns into a nightmare. Christopher refuses to leave Jessica alone. He calls her every night, then begins following her. Jessica is terrified that A.J. will find out and break off their relationship. Has Jessica gotten herself in too deep this time? 

The answer to that question is a big YES!. Yes, she has gotten herself in too deep because of her pride, selfishness, and not being able to commit to one boy.

While I was reading, memories in the past popped into my mind, especially my high school memories. I saw myself in Jessica's. Lucky me I haven't dated a psycho. Well, in my younger years, I used to have flings and dated a couple of boys at a time. (That's an embarrassing thing to concede, right?) I knew it was wrong but my youthfulness got the better of me. But that was in the past. I learned something from it though. It's not a new learning but it's a good reminder.

LESSONS: 

1. Jessica felt sorry to herself without a boyfriend for a couple of days. Used to always having one, she tried to fill in the void by going out with someone. She told herself to enjoy while it lasts. Unknown to her, she asked for trouble. More often than not, we are like Jessica. We have emptiness inside. We felt lonely. We tried so many things to pacify the cryings inside usually in a wrong way. These things can't and will never satisfy the hunger deep within. This morning I read a devotional. It says there that our soul demands as much as our body does. If we fail to meet the soul's demands, it keeps on crying. These cries, though, can't be satisfied by anything material. Only God can satisfy our starving soul. I bet people know this truth but still we deceive ourselves. We rationalize that these things will do. Thus, we end up in a more miserable life. We asked for it. 


2. Jessica didn't want to tell A.J. about Christopher for the fear that A.J will break off the relationship. But actually that's not what she really feared the most. She feared that she might not be able to take the crown when A.J. got the recognition for winning the essay contest. She wanted the crown. She wanted the spotlight, the attention. She didn't care about A.J. Hence, she stalled telling her boyfriend about the weekend romance. Her desire to get the crown ensued to a more serious and terrifying situation. Her twin sister, Elizabeth, almost got killed. Material things are so sparkly that they blinded us on what really matters. We forgot the most important things in life. Our material desires got the better of us that while we were busy picking stones, we lost a gem along the way. In this world, a lot of things clamor for our attention. If we try to attend to all of them, I'm afraid we don't have time for the more valuable ones. Let's get it straight. Decide on what's important and go for it. Leave behind all the unnecessary. Travel light. We have better things to do with our time. We've got only 24 hours a day. Let's not waste a second. 


3. Elizabeth didn't tolerate the mistakes of her twin sister. But because of her love for her, she made a sacrifice. She allowed herself to be with the pyscho pretending to be Jessica so that Jessica could get the crown, something she's been anxiously waiting for weeks. What Elizabeth did was sacrificial! Putting yourself at risk can only be done through an unconditional love. Without unconditional love, I doubt it if one can make a sacrifice. Let's be appreciative of the sacrifices, however small it may be, of our parents and family and the people who have shown us that kind of love. They are one of a kind. 

LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES AND FROM THE MISTAKES OF OTHERS. MAKE THE FUTURE BETTER THAN TODAY.

#malourealizations #maloureads

Lee, SaeHee