I knew as I hit the “publish” button on my previous blog entry that I would have to answer for what I had written. To someone. Most likely family.
When I write about my childhood, or my family there is always so much back story that should be written and I don’t, that some of it is left out.
I grew up in Michigan, in a rural community. I had a pretty charmed childhood. Both of my parents worked hard. Mom worked in a grocery store, and Dad installed flooring, carpets and tile. You name it, my Dad could do it, and do it well. They both worked long hours to sustain the family. We didn’t have a lot of things, but where we lived, we had more than what we needed. No one went to bed hungry, no one went to bed worrying about where they were going to be the next day. I love my parents, and my brothers. Even though my brothers have no taste in college football teams.
I had the run of the surrounding area. I regularly rode my bike for miles out of town without telling anyone. I regularly hitch-hiked without telling anyone. I was able to do this because of the time we lived in, and because of the area we lived in. Yeah, bad things happened to people, but not to people we knew. We swam in nearby lakes, we ate fruit out of the nearby orchards, we ate grapes from the nearby vineyards. My parents had really great friends that they played cards with. I have, or had now that some of them have passed, 2 great Aunts, my Fathers sisters, with their husbands and kids. One of them had a lake cottage that we would go to on a regular basis. Life was good. And I got to do what I wanted pretty much all of the time. And that has come across as my being spoiled.
I have never looked at myself as that. Growing up I just never had to report to anyone what I was doing, or what I was going to do. I just did it. I don’t know why that was. I never questioned it. But it is something that I don’t allow my kids to do. I try to weasel my way into my kids lives as much as I can. Because I know that even with all that I had growing up, all of the liberties I was given. I know that there should have been more structure.
There is a saying that has stuck with me over the years that goes “If you can’t be a shining example, then you have to be a horrible warning.”
My words to live by.
