Student Example - A Grade Y10
Recount
“Look at this, Sarah!” I looked over at Mum who had just come through the back door into the kitchen. Under her arm was a basket full to the brim with fresh red tomatoes, picked straight from our vegie patch. “I think I might make some bolognaise sauce and some chutney, I don’t want them going to waste”. I sat at the kitchen bench, doodling on a notepad while Mum started to cook. I closed my eyes as I sucked in a deep breath of the fresh tomato bolognaise and was flooded with an overwhelming memory of joy and awe.
The smell of lasagne and wine lingered in the air of our warm focsle. The skin around my mum’s sparkling eyes crinkle as she smiled. She was looking at my dad who was in the middle of telling one of his not-so-funny stories that made everyone throw their heads back in laughter anyway. Although I did not understand the language of the adults, I laughed because I felt happy at that time. I looked over the small coffee table, at which I was eating, at my dear friend Ashlyn, who was licking her fingers clean of lasagne. I stretched my legs out from underneath me so my toes tickled her feet. Her cheeks reddened as she giggled. I lifted my plate to my mouth and used my tongue to clean the remains of my dinner. A bubble of laughter burst from Ashlyn as it ended up on my face. I used the back of my hand to wipe my mouth then pulled my legs out from under the table. Once I was standing, I looked over to mine and Ashlyn’s parents who were still finishing their meal. I must have caught Mums attention because she looked over at me and asked me if I would like some more. The room fell quiet as they all turned to face me. Although the room was silent, it was as if the laughter was loitering in the far corners of the room. There was a silent buzz and electricity which filled the air and made me smile. I looked to mum and told her no, I didn’t want any more then turned back around and made my way to the couch.
The lounge room was the dining room in my home. It was a big space with a big bay window at the very end which allowed the sunlight to pour into every corner of the room. We never had blinds or curtains on that window so if anyone were to ever stand outside our focsle at night, they would be able to see in as if it were day. Right under that bay window was a red couch. I made my way up and leant on top of the couch cushions. Ashlyn joined me soon after and together we sat in awe of what lay beyond the window. The night sky overwhelmed us. We looked out past our white picket fence and winding path to whatever lived in the night. There were millions of lights, sparkling and winking at us from afar. Ashlyn spotted an airplane in the distance. It swam through the sky and drowned into the dark night, my young mind guessing where it might’ve been heading. A highway stretched out into the distance, cars crawling along to their futures. Thousands of house lights, homes full of people I may never meet. A sky so full of stars that my mind could not fathom it.
The whole world was right there, staring back at us. In that moment, I recall feeling so small. I could tell Ashlyn felt the same. We were just two young girls, looking the world in the eyes.All at once the world revolves around the sun and the moon revolves around the world but all the while, my world is revolving around me and your world is revolving around you. It often happens that two worlds will collide and eventually the two worlds might end up being a part of each other. While sitting on that red couch with my dear friend AshlynI was broughtto the realisation that there are millions and millions of people I will never meet. This led me to the appreciation of the few people I do get to meet, get to know and get to love. I turned myself around so I was no longer staring into the night, but looking to the friends sitting around the dining table. I couldn’t help but smile at the thought of how much I had been blessed.
I sat at the kitchen bench, doodling on a notepad while Mum continued to cook. I sucked in another deep breath of the fresh tomato bolognaise and was flooded with an overwhelming sense of joy and awe. As I looked into my Mum’s sparkling eyes, she returned my smile.