amazing people

While driving to work the other day I was thinking about my parents and how blessed I was to have been born to two such amazing people. So I hear you say, "what were they? Doctor? Lawyer? Indian Chief?"

My parents were so much more than this, they were and still are compassionate people who taught me all the great things in life, I try to live by my parents example but at times I fall short, but hey they also taught me that this is ok! We ALL make mistakes it is what we do next that matters. There are so many more lessons than mentioned below, They all shaped who I am today, and most of the time I am pretty happy with who that is. Let me share with you some of the things they taught me:

Always give people the benefit of doubt, they may have a reason for how they are or for what they have done. (This goes back to we all make mistakes and all deserve a second chance). In my youth I did not always hang out with the pillars of society by my parents always treated them with respect and always found a way no matter how small to show they were interested in that persons life and make the person feel welcome. To some people this does not sound like much but to some of the people I used to be friends with, this was so much more than they had ever received both from friends parents or their own.

Dont listen to idle gossip unless you have seen it first hand there is a good chance it might be just gossip! So don't judge others on someone else's word! It is easier to write someone off on a friend's word than admit that your friend may be wrong.

I am no better or no worse than anyone else! At times we all believe we are better or worse than someone else no matter what we admit to ourselves, it help's to have my parents voices echoing in my mind when I get to big for my boots or feel like pond scum.

I do not need to decide today what I want to do with the rest of my life, the main goal and all that matters at the end of the day is that I am happy. I am still working out what I want to be when I grow up, but for here and now I am more interested in sorting out my life so I can find the old me and some happiness again, my parents forward thinking let me give myself permission to put myself first.

Always stand up for what you believe in!! Don't be rude when you are doing this!! Everyone has a right to his or her own opinion and sometime it will not be the same as mine! This gave me the power to say NO!! While I will not judge my friends for their mistakes I don't feel like I need to make the same mistakes to be part of thein crowd. If you tell me the sky is pink with polka dots don't be thinking I am going to humour you just to keep the peace!

I might do stupid things sometimes but I am not a stupid person!! This may just be the best gift my parents ever gave me, I cringe when I hear people calling their children (or just anyone really) Stupid, If someone is called stupid often enough they start to believe it.

That even if I mess up I am loved! Ending lectures with "but don't think this means we do not love you, because we love you very much" did not soften the blow of the lecture, but it did mean I grew up knowing there was not a moment in my life that I have not been loved and that I would always be loved. This seems really mushy but to know your loved is an empowering thing.

There are 2 days of the year we are told to celebrate our parents, well for me there is not a day I don't celebrate my parents or thank the stars that they are mine. There are not enough words on this earth for me to describe how thankful I am to them, and as much as I would like to I don't think I tell them enough how Grateful I am to them, I thank them for giving me two wonderful sisters who are friends and sparing partners, I thank them for never giving up on me even though I got a little lost along the way at times, but most of all I just thank them for just being who they are.

contributed by: Squishy Mishy

So I hear you say, "what were they? Doctor? Lawyer? Indian Chief?"