My paradigms are constantly reshaped by the information that affronts me daily. Perhaps the insight I have gained on any given topic can be of aid in your journey of discovery.
I was watching Oprah today and she was talking to families, and more specifically how they stay close � primarily through rituals established during childhood. Talking to one lady, an expert of some sort, it was established that children remember the little, everyday things and not the big, extravagant planned things. This got me to thinking�what do I remember about the people who raised me? Well, lets see:
Mom � She always gave me lots of hugs and told me how much she loved me. She also made me sit at the dining room table until I finished my homework (which was usually right at bedtime � I�ve always procrastinated).
Dad � His beard always tickled my cheek when he hugged and kissed me goodbye. He also always called me �Trece girl� and if he didn�t, I knew that something was wrong. He also always made me make a budget semiannually, teaching me how to handle finances.
Dear � She always made me eat 75% of my food before I could drink my juice down to the second row of white flowers on the cups we drank from at lunchtime. She taught me to never lick a knife (something that comes to mind as I lower an unlicked frosting or jam covered blade from my mouth).
Grandma Grayson � She always cared about me and always wanted to know how I was doing. In everything she made me feel special, like when she surprised me by coming to my first grade class with ice cream and cake for everyone on my birthday.
Grandma Giger � She always reminded me of how great my parents were and how grateful I should be of them. She wanted to keep our brains active so instead of playing or watching television all summer, my cousins and I had to spend half of each day doing something constructive, usually crochet or cross-stitch.
Jim � He never let a meeting pass without indulging me with money, candy, gum or even just his presence. We would walk to the store together and I would try to get out of spending the dollar he had given me especially for the trip. Afterwards, we would watch Young and the Restless before naptime.
Adults, and the love they show, make a childhood memorable. Maybe I am so affectionate now because I was surrounded by so much love. Who knows for sure? It was great thinking about everyone though.
