I know I was sixteen once upon a time because I have a picture. Just one picture.
1963. I’m in the front, in the middle, arm on my knee.
I had a raging case of hormones. This was the summer after I graduated high school. I would be in college a month later. That’s what you get for skipping years in school.
As for what I was like? I vaguely remember what I did — nothing to be proud of — but I have no memory of what I was thinking. I’m not sure I was thinking at all. It was 52 years ago. Almost exactly.
That’s a long time and the details do get fuzzy.
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Categories: #Photography, Daily Prompt, Family, Portrait
SERENDIPITY - SEEKING INTELLIGENT LIFE ON EARTH 
16… the middle of my hermit years. Most 16 year olds are out having the time of their life, and I rarely left the house other than to go to school. Almost zero social interaction, napped after school, stayed up late watching old reruns on Nick at Nite…. good times, I guess. There was good and bad to the way I spent my teen years, but it is what it was, and I guess in the end, I emerged enough from my shell to actually become a self sufficient person in adulthood…
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You were so full of energy and good looking girl. Teenage has something which cannot be described accurately though many books have been written on this topic. It is a kind of high, a joy, carefree attitude which never comes in life again. Pic is a perfect one to revive good old days.
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I had plenty of energy, but I also had a lot of teenage angst … and some very well earned angst. I did not have an easy childhood and teenaged years were particular painful in many ways. I ran, top speed, out of my youth and happily embraced independence. I was not wrong, either.
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Not at all wrong in your case. I’m happy that your book is being read by other bloggers too. You had a difficult childhood no doubt but looking at your pictures and knowing you no one can say so. Beautiful soul and such mesmerizing landscapes….
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What a cutie. Are those your sisters sitting next to you and your mother to your left? Your grandmother behind you on your left? You all look like family. I always thought you were blonde because in your pictures now you look blonde. I love seeing these “old’ pictures. We are exactly the same age. http://judydykstrabrown.com/2015/08/26/sixteen-the-combiners-excerpt/
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That was one of my good years, maybe my best — at least from the point of view of appearance. Those are my cousins immediately on my left and right. My sister is the strange looking very blond kid all the way on the right, in the front. My mother is sitting immediately behind her. My brother isn’t in the picture, nor is my father. I think my father was taking the picture, actually.
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Now I can’t find the picture again..Keep getting your Goose piece.
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There’s a search box. And a list of recent posts on the left. I try to provide a lot of navigation!
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Thanks.
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Does anyone think when they are 16?
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I doubt it.
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I thought I knew everything. Told Mom. I regained consciousness a few minutes later.
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I thought I knew everything. I did, but I’ve forgotten most of it. I am happier that way.
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I love this post! I can really relate to it — hormones, just graduated from HS and off to college (for me that was 3,000 miles away from home, too young, and very frightening as well as a little exciting!). Great picture to go with it!
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I wasn’t smart enough to be scared … and getting out of the house was such a positive thing for me that everything else paled in comparison. It was a horrible, traumatic year, but I changed everything for the good … in the end.
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This is a lovely photo. At 16 I was a freak and I don’t mean like the Freak Brothers, more like a real weirdo, a character… I was pretty OK at 14 and then again at 42, but 16???
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I think I peaked at 16 and it’s been downhill ever since 🙂
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No, silly. I peaked at 40 something but it’s very doubtful I’ll ever post the photos that prove it.
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I did NOT peak at 40. At least not physically. I was beginning to develop a lot of physical problems by then, though many would not get dangerous for another decade or two. Mentally, though, I rather like myself now. I feel very at home with me. Not beautiful, but comfortable.
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16 I do wonder how I survived. I was full of it and not just hormones. I knew it all, felt like a grown up and didn’t have a clue. It was the last year before Abitur and the start into 12th grade. I know I was a pain. I smoked, had a drink for the first time (different laws in Europe) and ..well there were a lot of firsts 🙂
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Yes, I was MUCH smarter and more sophisticated at 16 than I am now. Amazing no one killed me.
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You and me both 🙂
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I prefer to forget the teenage years – too hormonal and boring really.
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I know exactly what you mean. There are things best forgotten.
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Hey, Serendipitous person, I really like your blog. Although we are from diffrent countries and cultures, I find so many things to identify to in here that I always come back.
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Nice to meet you, whoever you are and wherever you may be. Thank you 🙂 And think more things are similar between countries and cultures than are different. It’s all a matter of how you want to look at it.
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I totally agree. By the way, It’s a pleasure to meet your words, I am Serafim.
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🙂
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If a person only has one photo, that is a good one. 🙂 I don’t have any memories of being 16 except I wanted to be 18 and out of school.
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I was 16 and out of school, but back in another school. I thought I was VERY mature. I wasn’t.
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You look good and it is good to have the family around you. I only manage that photo when I already had my to boys on a holiday in england, must scan it in. Tempo fugit and a little too fast. there are now too many people on the local cemetery that I knew.
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The entire older generation in that picture is gone. So far, the younger generation is still intact, but I didn’t have this picture. My cousin sent it to me. I wish I had more.
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Just love old photos. Yours is wonderful!
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It’s the family as it was, back then. All the older people in the photo have passed. Thanks!!
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It’s fun to reminisce.
Leslie
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It’s more fun to look at the pictures and marvel that my hair wasn’t gray and I was so … YOUNG.
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You were a sweet young thing.
Leslie
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Don’t recall it either. Guess I didn’t value it as much as I do now.
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I also suspect we were ALL a bundle of crazed hormones. It was by far the MOST irrational time of my entire life. Not the worse, though it wasn’t good, but definitely the craziest.
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Hormones.., Ahh yes.., I think I remember those. The great thing about hormones is that they seemed to obliterate all communication between me and my parents because.., what did they know? All I can remember is a sort of adult noise, much like the sounds of adults from “Peanuts”.
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