A peanut butter and jelly sandwich, made with Skippy peanut butter and Welch's grape jelly on white bread. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
When I was young, my grandpa took an old hood off of a ford truck and tied it to the back of his tractor and pulled us kids down the snowy roads. Today, a sled cost big bucks. I used to wear pleated skirts, cotton blouses, and Ked shoes, with the red button on the back. Today you can pay two hundred dollars for a pair of name brand shoes. I had a Flintstone lunch box with thermos, which was packed every day with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, celery and carrot sticks, an apple, and a thermos of milk. Today, lunches are skipped, or bought out of vending machines. I got my first bike when I was 10 for my birthday. Bright blue, with black tires and white walls. I treated it with care, being told it had to last me forever. Today a bike can cost almost one thousand dollars, and many people have multiple bikes. For play time, I can remember so well, taking a blanket outside underneath the maple tree, spreading it out. Dragging all my babies and baby bed, clothes, accessories outside and playing for hours all by myself. Today, there are WII’s, computers, tech games. I used my imagination, today you don’t need one. I had to tell my parents where I was going and give them the phone number of the people I would be visiting. Permission from the other parents had to be given prior to me leaving, and if I was late coming home, I was punished by my bike being put up for a week. Today some parents don’t know where there kids are. When I was growing up, I knew that every Sunday meant a bath on Saturday nights, hair rolled or bobby pinned, and getting up early for church on Sunday mornings. Today, some kids have never been through a church door. When it was time to buy my first car, I was told that I had to purchase it myself, that I would appreciate it more. They would pay for the additional coverage on their auto policy. I paid one hundred dollars for it, and was so proud of my own wheels. Today, some kids are handed the keys to their brand new car. When I became engaged, my soon to be husband had to ask my parents for permission. A dinner was followed for a celebration of an engagement. Today, many do not marry. When I got married, one of our many goals was to start a family. There was not much thought put in to it. Today, people have to plan around careers, money, right timing, and maybe never find the right moment to start a family. I regret decisions I have made. We all do, but I am glad that I am where I am today. Without my parents being involved in my life, sometimes making me feel like they were being too nosy or bossy, I may not be here, writing this for you.
Who I am 