Tags
childhood, faith, God, life lessons, men, parents, religion, women, work ethic
Some people may look at my life and my childhood and say it wasn’t ideal. We moved a lot. When I say we moved a lot, I mean we moved on average every two years up through college, sometimes more often than that. We were rarely in extracurriculars because we didn’t have the time or the money. My dad worked two jobs and we barely saw him except on weekends and before bed. But I will be the first to tell you we always had clothes that fit, coats to keep up warm, food on the table and always, ALWAYS felt loved.
I call myself spoiled and people look at me like I’ve lost my mind. But just because we didn’t have a lot of money doesn’t mean I had less. Very seldom did I ever feel poor. I was spoiled with love and the time I spent with my parents was special. How many kids growing up had everything except the time and attention of their parents?
You can look at what was missing from my childhood and say it wasn’t ideal but I would beg to differ. My dad wasn’t home often but the time we spent together was special and he taught me work ethic. He taught me you do what you have to do get what you want and provide for your family even if you may not like it. My mom made sure I knew how to live on my own, how to do dishes and laundry and cook. Both parents have been models of persistence and resourcefulness. We didn’t always have what we needed but we made do.
Ideal is a matter of definition. I wasn’t raised in the lap of luxury but I know how to make a dollar stretch in a poor economy. I never got the chance to put down roots but I learned to blaze my own trail in life. Where I’ve been has made me who I am. I am different and I like it. Perspective is a beautiful thing.