Saturday, May 12, 2007
I want to write a tribute to my parents. First, they passed on their genes, which are pretty good. If they hadn't been smart people, I wouldn't be smart.
Second, they invested time, energy and money into my upbringing. The moved to a nice suburb with good schools. They bought a comfortable house. They kept the emotional abuse to a minimum. (Kidding! Now, the PHYSICAL abuse, that's another matter.)
Third, they supported my education. I actually got to go to the private school I wanted, partly through maternal sacrifice, partly through massive amounts of loans and partly through a fat aid package (I have to thank them for that, too, because their divorce meant more aid).
Fourth, they both modeled great work ethics. The two of them schlepped off to one (or in my mother's case two) jobs every day for years.
So it feels like I can't take a lot of credit for where I am in the world, working at a big paper where people think I'm a good employee. If my parents hadn't loved me and cared for me in the right way, I'd be emotionally crippled or uneducated or both. I wouldn't be the intelligent, well-adjusted, valued worker I am today without the investment they made into my upbringing and well-being.
Second, they invested time, energy and money into my upbringing. The moved to a nice suburb with good schools. They bought a comfortable house. They kept the emotional abuse to a minimum. (Kidding! Now, the PHYSICAL abuse, that's another matter.)
Third, they supported my education. I actually got to go to the private school I wanted, partly through maternal sacrifice, partly through massive amounts of loans and partly through a fat aid package (I have to thank them for that, too, because their divorce meant more aid).
Fourth, they both modeled great work ethics. The two of them schlepped off to one (or in my mother's case two) jobs every day for years.
So it feels like I can't take a lot of credit for where I am in the world, working at a big paper where people think I'm a good employee. If my parents hadn't loved me and cared for me in the right way, I'd be emotionally crippled or uneducated or both. I wouldn't be the intelligent, well-adjusted, valued worker I am today without the investment they made into my upbringing and well-being.
