Loved reading about this part of your life. Why wouldn’t you? Love it. My parents were very, ‘why wouldn’t you?’ and yet two out of three of their children are risk adverse. My youngest brother, though had an amazing, adventurous life.
Potent one, as always Bernadette. My prairie boy dad had a similar reaction to my brother moving away to live in the Caribbean. It wasn't until we visited my brother for my dad to get it, and it was best illustrated in a song he wrote shortly after. The lyric was:
"Sometimes a young man can remind an old man that dreams do come true
I loved this Bernadette. I once heard Stephen Covey speak about being a generational change agent. To break the link of negative baggage that can be passed down from our ancestors. You have definitely done that. I suspect your kids don’t say, “Why would you…” very often.
You never know... I so related to this story of the naysayers talking out of love but not understanding the personal need to grow.
At 25 I moved from NYC to LA without a job or knowing anyone so I could "seek my fortune." I didn't know what was going to happen but I trusted my ability to make friends and find work. Everyone I knew said "Why would you leave New York? It is the center of the universe."
I knew that the way to start fresh is to start new. That move started me on a 40 year career.
No. Most of them lost touch with me after the move and it was five years later when I came back East so the friendships that were strong to begin with remained while others slipped away. This was before the age of instant communication.
I find it fascinating where different people locate their security. For some it’s a job or a career or property ownership or a relationship or a family network or several billion dollars. For others it’s the trust that somehow we’ll figure it out as we go.
Hope your Dad is having a good summer? It’s been a scorcher, I hear.
You have drawn well on your life experience to tell vivid stories. My parents didn't like change, but they experienced a lot of it, starting with my father getting his draft letter on the day of the rehearsal dinner for their wedding. They taught us to expect change and it's been a valuable lesson as people will see in my memoirs. Thank you for all you do to help inspire and encourage us.
We had to readjust when my father came back from Korea, and I was almost 3. We moved after I started kindergarten. I had two little brothers. We had a traumatic night house fire, you can read about in my memoir, Grace Interlaced (also in Spanish gracia entrelazada, and on Audible), total family readjustments, more moves, continued personal challengesuntil I went away to college, where I wanted only to prepare for a career. Instead, I met a wonderful man (spouse of 53 years) and we married when I was a junior in college, more moves and the ongoing slow healing of family hurts. It was more God than my parents who prepared me to accept, reflect, pray, work, and move forward through change.
Loved reading about this part of your life. Why wouldn’t you? Love it. My parents were very, ‘why wouldn’t you?’ and yet two out of three of their children are risk adverse. My youngest brother, though had an amazing, adventurous life.
Thanks, Kellie. And what about you?
I’m in the middle of my brothers on the risk scale. 💕
So you've taken one or two?
Potent one, as always Bernadette. My prairie boy dad had a similar reaction to my brother moving away to live in the Caribbean. It wasn't until we visited my brother for my dad to get it, and it was best illustrated in a song he wrote shortly after. The lyric was:
"Sometimes a young man can remind an old man that dreams do come true
Sometimes they do
Sometimes they do."
❤️
Oh Michael, I love hearing how your dad could share his heart with both of you through his songs. What a gift. Thanks for sharing this with me. 🧡
You bet :).
I loved this Bernadette. I once heard Stephen Covey speak about being a generational change agent. To break the link of negative baggage that can be passed down from our ancestors. You have definitely done that. I suspect your kids don’t say, “Why would you…” very often.
Ah, thanks, JD. I've never heard Covey speaking about this.
I bet yours do likewise.
It's so great to see you here! Like old times.
You never know... I so related to this story of the naysayers talking out of love but not understanding the personal need to grow.
At 25 I moved from NYC to LA without a job or knowing anyone so I could "seek my fortune." I didn't know what was going to happen but I trusted my ability to make friends and find work. Everyone I knew said "Why would you leave New York? It is the center of the universe."
I knew that the way to start fresh is to start new. That move started me on a 40 year career.
Thanks for sharing your story, Jeff.
I'm glad you found it in your heart to trust yourself.
Did the people you knew back then ever come around to graciously admitting that you made the right decision for you?
No. Most of them lost touch with me after the move and it was five years later when I came back East so the friendships that were strong to begin with remained while others slipped away. This was before the age of instant communication.
It takes courage to make changes and it was a different age back then..
I do empathise with your Dad's thoughts although to be honest, I've been the total opposite most of my life.
It definitely was a different time. What gave you the courage to follow your path?
I'm not really sure if it was/is courage.
My mantra in life has always been - 'observe the masses and do the opposite' and it has held me in good stead.
I think I'm just awkward 🙂
That sounds a lot like courage to me!
Super!!
I find it fascinating where different people locate their security. For some it’s a job or a career or property ownership or a relationship or a family network or several billion dollars. For others it’s the trust that somehow we’ll figure it out as we go.
Hope your Dad is having a good summer? It’s been a scorcher, I hear.
Thanks for reflecting back to me about all the ways we 'locate' for security. Thanks too for asking after my dad. He loves the sun!
You have drawn well on your life experience to tell vivid stories. My parents didn't like change, but they experienced a lot of it, starting with my father getting his draft letter on the day of the rehearsal dinner for their wedding. They taught us to expect change and it's been a valuable lesson as people will see in my memoirs. Thank you for all you do to help inspire and encourage us.
Thank YOU, Virginia for sharing a little about your parents. I can only imagine how they must have felt when that letter arrived.
How did they teach you to expect change?
How has it helped you?
We had to readjust when my father came back from Korea, and I was almost 3. We moved after I started kindergarten. I had two little brothers. We had a traumatic night house fire, you can read about in my memoir, Grace Interlaced (also in Spanish gracia entrelazada, and on Audible), total family readjustments, more moves, continued personal challengesuntil I went away to college, where I wanted only to prepare for a career. Instead, I met a wonderful man (spouse of 53 years) and we married when I was a junior in college, more moves and the ongoing slow healing of family hurts. It was more God than my parents who prepared me to accept, reflect, pray, work, and move forward through change.
That's quite the life, Virginia. I'm so glad you chose to tell your story.