My childhood wasn’t perfect.
But it was close.
I grew up with family who loved me. I never went hungry or without clothes or a place to sleep. I can’t remember feeling unsafe (except for those times when my friends and I were doing something stupid). I had friends across the street and next door who were almost always around to play; and my church and school friends spent time at my house and I at theirs. There were the normal ups and downs… but life was good. And summers were the best!
I spent a lot of time at the pool. Our girls age group was pretty darn good and won a lot of events and meets. There were five of us that rotated in and out of relays and enjoyed lots of wins. I found my individual success in the breaststroke. Coach Taylor was a tough, but fun coach. Meets were exciting and happy times. Summer mornings consisted of practice, then I’d bike home for lunch and anxiously await the 2pm opening of the pool again for the afternoon.
My neighborhood friends played little league. So late afternoon, I’d go with their family to the park and watch them and a bunch of my other friends play baseball. Well, I'd watch the game a bit and play cup-ball in the sandlot a bit, too. Mr. Jud more often than not took us to Dairy Queen for ice cream afterward. We would jump in the back of the El Camino and head up Middle Landing. If anyone happened to have hit a homer during the game, they would be there, too. For a burger - compliments of Mr. Jud.
I also went to camp that summer. There were 8 of us from Minden that went. It was nice to successfully make the whole week
and actually enjoy myself! (I had tried the camp thing once before during the summer after my first grade year… I lasted until the middle of the second day before I called my mom to come and pick me up.)
When you’re a kid - good, bad, rich, poor, abusive, safe - it’s your world. The only world you know. Looking back from here. Mine was certainly a good one. I was blessed.
No comments:
Post a Comment