Life is full of many lessons that you either learn or repeat until you do. I have had my share of them. One has taught me a lifelong lesson that I try my best to teach my children. When I was growing up my family was all about material things and so was I. All of my friends were the same way and we all thought people that were not in the same league as us were not worth our time. I know it sounds cruel but that was how my family and my friends were so I really knew no other way. I always said that I couldn’t see how people could stand to be like that and you would never catch them being my friends. Well I grew up and life did not go as I had planned for it to go. When my life was turned upside down my “friends” were no were to be found. The people that came to my side and offered me more than they really had to offer were those people that I always degraded and shunned away. They didn’t hold that against me and they showed me something that was better than any material thing that I could ever buy. They gave with their heart in it and did without to help me since I was in worse of a situation than them. I am appreciative for my pitfall and life going the way it did because I found a quality in people that I had missed all those years and I learned that you should not judge people by what they have because sometimes those that have the least actually have more than money could ever buy!
It's sorry that our parents can not teach us how to all be equal to one another. I was opposite of you growing up. I never had many material things and it still is a struggle to attain them now. I've never deemed myself worthy to try to make friends outside of my "class" because of how I was always treated in school by the "more worthy" people. It's absolutely great though that you found out that even though they didn't have much... they would still give all they had to help you out!
ReplyDeleteI think it's impossible for our parents to teach us some things and one of them definitely is how we just never know who is going to be "be there" for us when push comes to shove. I've been lucky (blessed) to have always had the kinds of friends/family who will give me the shirt of their back no matter what. Thankfully, I've never had to really experience finding out my so-called friends weren't who they said they were....
ReplyDeleteI have had the same type of friend experience as you. My parents had money put away, but didn't like being flashy about what they spent it on. Well after growing out of our old house they found another one to buy. It happened that this house was in a nice neighborhood, but was only literally three minutes at most away from our old home. When people found this out they were happy, not for me, rather for the fact that they had a place to party after prom.. or so they thought. Even though they didn't understand that my parents weren't like that and prom was months away, I let them carry on about it. Well I got pregnant and after people found that out I was left with none of my 'new friends.' In fact, they were the ones spreading nasty rumors about me (such as me having a abortion or giving him away [I planned to do neither]), because as if being pregnant in high school wasn't hard enough. Truth is, even if the material things are out of your reach or out of thenreach of others people will turn nasty. You will always find out who your friends are.
ReplyDeleteI believe we should try to be nice to anyone we meet. You never know who they may turn out to be some day. I have always tried to teach my children to do this. Especially during their high school years when so many kids need friends. Just a kind word can change a life. It doesn't matter where we come from or what we wear or look like we are still all God's children.
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