Tell me something positive about a negative in our life...past or present
By Amy
@artemis432 (7474)
Abernathy, Texas
September 6, 2007 5:59pm CST
Like pyewacket, one of my favourite mylotters, I was a latch key kid. Very shy, there were some days I would come home from a very quiet day in school to an equally quiet house. My mom would often put the tv in the closet - on vacation - so it was up to me find something to occupy my time. I would engage in imaginative play, devour my mom's science fiction and fantasy books as early as 4th grade, write short stories and sing. I learn to nurture my imgagination and my love of books -even read some of my sister's college books. I was often the one who would give my older brother ideas to occupy his time when he wasn't out playing basketball or something with his friends. I even made friends with an older girl, Kim around the corner who was in foster care which opened my eyes to different situations and made me appreciate being with my mom, even though I didn't see her too much.
I think now, I'm more compassionate, imaginative, proactive, creative - definite idea person, and more apt to think philosophically because of my shyness.
2 people like this
7 responses
@AmbiePam (85465)
• United States
6 Sep 07
I didn't grow up in a good part of town. The reason was because my dad is a pastor, and he chose to minister in that particular place. It didn't pay him much either, so we sometimes shopped at Goodwill, and stuff like that. It was the kind of place that you could walk down your street, but you better come back and not go any farther.
Of course, this wasn't a dream life. But I learned compassion and tolerance more than any other place I could have been. I learned how to deal with people, how to keep calm in pressure situations. And I'm very glad for that now. Any snob in me was removed from me when I was a child. : )
1 person likes this
@artemis432 (7474)
• Abernathy, Texas
6 Sep 07
What a lucky upbringing. It is easy to look down on others unless you live like them - with them. I love thrift shops!
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@artemis432 (7474)
• Abernathy, Texas
6 Sep 07
And the greatest thing about it is as difficult as it was in so many ways - you're able to think of how it influenced ou in a positive way. :)
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@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
7 Sep 07
While other children got everything they wanted, we did not. I received formerly read magazines from my aunts from England. We did not have a car. If we wanted to go somewhere, we took the bus. My mom did not take the car to get groceries, we walked. I never got what I wanted, so when I developed the habit of not expecting anything from anybody. On top of that, my dad always criticized me. Girls were not as good as boys and because of that I felt I had to work harder. If it were not for my mother, I would have gone to pieces. I also learned to saved and because of that, I am not an impulse buyer and I usually buy good quality stuff because it is better to pay for something that will last longer than to buy things that fall apart after one year.
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@artemis432 (7474)
• Abernathy, Texas
7 Sep 07
Sounds like you and I have a lot in common. Until my mom finally became successful I wore second hand - sometimes neighbor's clothers and my sister's clothes. No car as my mom stopped driving around the time of all the gas lines. Too expesive anyway.
@twoey68 (13627)
• United States
12 Sep 07
When I lived with my Mom growing up, it was my job to take care of my two youngest brothers. I didn't get to go run around with friends, hang out or anything like that. I didn't get to go anywhere except for school. My escape was reading. My Mom taught me to read when I was 4 years old (I still have the book) and it has always been my escape. In books, I have lived in castles with dragons around me, soared through space and met aliens and countless other adventures. I have visited every time period including the future. I also love to re-read books b/c it always seems like I somehow learn more. Although I didn't get to do alot of the normal things kids do I lived vicariously through my hundreds of books :)
AT PEACE WITHIN
~~STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS~~
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
7 Sep 07
Hehe..this caught my eye certainly! And thanks ever for that compliment artemis!
While my childhood was a lonely one...I didn't have any brothers or sisters, and was alone a lot, like you I turned my aloneness and shyness into creative endeavors. And that was definitely a good thing. Also, by being alone so much I was able to learn to like/love my own company. Some people, especially people people, can't stand to be alone--the type that as soon as they get home or are home have to have a radio, stereo or TV on just to hear another human voice, or of course yak on the phone non-stop. Me? While yes, I love to listen to music too, or watch TV I'm so perfectly content in the silence. Like you I learned to read at an early age as I was so opposite my mother who hated to read...so I too devoured books on my own, and also wrote as well. So maybe my childhood wasn't ideal, and lonely, it brought out my creativity that I may not have had otherwise...and I'm ever grateful for that
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
7 Sep 07
I actually laugh at people with cell phones...I'm not much of a phone person to begin with..so it amuses me no end to be walking along the street and everyone..and I mean EVERYONE has a cell permanently glued to their ear...all except me...I don't even have a cell phone!
@artemis432 (7474)
• Abernathy, Texas
7 Sep 07
I too am not afraid to be on my own Actually still spend time on my own since my husband works nights and sleeps days. If I had to choose always spending time with others or being on my own - I'd choose being on my own definitely. Have you noticed that some people can't even be without their cell phones too long? As soon as they're out of work, out of bed, out of the shower. Even out on dates or out with friends - which someone should start a thread on - I can't tonight or maybe tomorrow as I want to try to focus on positives!
1 person likes this
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
6 Sep 07
I have to say that you had a very nice childhood with a wonderful memory. You are so great to read so many novels as a kid in your fourth grade. It was the same with my son. He did a lot of reading. He finished reading the four classical novels in China and many other good books written by well-known Chinese writers. Right now he is still fond of reading books of different kinds. It can always benefit you a lot from reading.
1 person likes this
@artemis432 (7474)
• Abernathy, Texas
6 Sep 07
Yes there is an Asian writer's month and one year - recenly I read some wonderful chinese authors - I want to go back and try to remember who they were and buy them - I got them out of the library. One was called Chinese Cinderella - The true story of an unwanted daughter and was written by Adeline Yen Mah - I know because that one I bought. The family thinks of her as bad luck and she is subjected to cruelty by her step-mother. Good stuff.
@theprogamer (10534)
• United States
7 Sep 07
I have a negative persona, we all have it, but this is one thing I want to address again. This persona may be evil to some, but its also been a point of defense, my own defense and the defense of others who are victimized. It also helps with self discipline since my positive persona would probably coddle me into nonexistence. The negative side also helps with my strict conduct in the professional world and my expertise in many areas of life. Its really something when thought about.
Oh and I too had some latch key experience. It was a good time to sketch landscapes, read books and catch up on science.
@moneyandgc (3428)
• United States
7 Sep 07
Hurricane Katrina destroyed pretty much everything I owned. All we had left could fit in the trunk of our car. Of course I was sad that I lost baby pictures of my children, of myself and well...everything else. Luckily my ex-husband and other family had photos that I could make copies of. Anyway...
When my kids were in Kg they made handprints on a tile and I had my oldest's but couldn't find my middle son's. I was sooo sad, it was the one thing that I really wanted to be able to salvage. It was very important to me.
One day I am at my parents house and happen to look in a box in my dad's office and there it is..sitting there right on top. I can't even begin tell you the joy I experienced by seeing that one piece of ceramic tile!
I definitely learned to be grateful for what you have, no matter how little it seems at the time.
