It was early in 1970 when my parents realized that I would be starting school the next fall with my brother following behind me by two years. As much as it must have bothered them to move from the place that was their home town for all of their lives, they decided that for their kids, they would move to a slightly better area a few miles away.
I can remember going to see the house we were going to be moving into before the big day. Looking back now, it was just a modest brick home with three bedrooms, an actual driveway with a garage and my favorite part, the back yard. The back yard stretched out only roughly ninety feet from the house, but beyond that was undeveloped land full of trees and woods. To a boy not quite five years old, it was his own personal forest to discover. I started looking forward to moving away from the only place I ever knew as home.
Moving day finally came. The old U-Haul was parked out in the back alley behind our house and I was so full of energy I just kept walking up and down the loading plank. There was an older gentlemen that I can remember walking through the alley and he commented on how much of a help I was being. I beamed at him. I just wanted to get everything loaded up so that I can get up there and start exploring that wooded area behind the house!
I dont remember much else about moving day in March of 1970. I guess I really wore myself out running up and down that ribbed loading ramp on the truck. Sleeping that night was on a matress thrown on the floor in the upstairs bedroom that would become mine and my brothers.
Over the next few days, I was pleasantly surprised to find that two doors down from us lived a family with three boys right around my age. Over the years, we would do many things together, building cabins in the woods from whatever we could scrounge, playing softball during the summer months, sledding during the winters and sleeping out in each others back yards staring up at the sky and watching the stars as we would drift off to sleep.
But, that was still off in the years to come. For now the days consisted of exploring the house and the yard. For some reason it felt so much more spacious there then it did in our old house. Looking back now I can see my parents allowing me to stretch my boundries while not doting over me every second of the day. I can see how that allowed me to gain confidence in myself while always knowing that I didnt have to worry because if I ever faltered, someone would be there for me. Too many times parents dont get that blend between being caring and being overbearing right at first. I give my parents all the credit in the world for getting it right with me the first time. If you are a parent out there and reading this, you know what I mean. If you arent a parent, think about how you can accomplish this for any children you may have down the road. There is nothing more important in my mind for a child then being confident in what they can do. I was admitedly not the most athletic of children, but I never was led to believe that there was anything that I was not capable of doing and that made a difference. You cant overprotect children from the world either. They have to be aware that as wonderful as it can be out there, it can also be a very scary place for adults let alone children. Its a very tenuous line parents have to walk with their kids and many times its not easy. I know that it isnt with me and my own kids now. All anyone can do is their best and hope that with a little bit of help and luck along the way that in the end your kids end up as normal productive members of society and not someone whose likeness is displayed on a post office wall.
Okay, I know that got a bit off topic for this post, but in a way it was meant as both a tribute to my Mom and Dad to say thanks for all that they did for me and to let those of you out there without families right now just surfing around know that its a serious responsibility. Dont enter into it lightly, if you cant put the time required in to. If you can......the rewards are more then you can buy.