lab2-significant people & events
TRANSCRIPT
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Who I Am Today: The Reflections of a Wife & Mother 1
Who I Am Today: The Reflections of a Wife & Mother
Georgia D. Drought
Ottawa University
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Who I Am Today: The Reflections of a Wife & Mother 2
Introduction
I grew up in Lake Mary, a somewhat affluent suburb of Orlando, FL. With that being
said, my family was a pretty typical southern family on the outside. I lived with both of my
parents. Both worked a typical nine to five type jobs and I attended the local public schools. We
ate dinner together every night, went to church every Sunday and went on the occasional family
vacation. The first lesson I learned from a very young age was that appearances are not always as
they seem. To everyone who knew us we were a fine example of what a family ³should´ be.
What they didn¶t see was the nightmarish dysfunction of a horribly failing marriage and a
terribly broken family.
My father at best was a borderline alcoholic, clinically diagnosed sexaholic with
depression and rage issues. I feel that it is worth mentioning that my father was not always this
way. I can recall a time in my life when he was a wonderful loving man who worked hard and in
the evening come home and chase me around our living room coffee table. It is sad for me to say
that the period of time I can recall my father being that way ended by my 6th
birthday. After that
a monster was born and my world was never quite the same.
My mother was a gentile woman and she loved her family. Despite everything that she
went through with my dad, thinking back to my earliest memory, I recall that she was always the
peace maker, the one who tried to fix everything, our family¶s band aid. Now that I am older, I
can look back with clarity and see how despite it all, she helped lay the foundation for the
woman that I have become today.
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Who I Am Today: The Reflections of a Wife & Mother 3
Significant People
The women in my family were like a light shining in the darkness. When I look back,
there are three distinct women who made the biggest positive influence and impression on me at
a young age. In my teenage years I will confess that when I look back I see how much I took
them all for granted. Now as an adult, a wife, and a mother, I look back with reflection seeing
how my much my life was shaped by each of their special character traits, individual talents and
areas of strength.
I must start out by stating that my mother is the most genuine, tender hearted, and loving
Christian woman I have ever known. Despite the life she was offered by my father and his
laundry list of issues, she always managed to keep her head held high. My mother taught me the
two values I hold the dearest: Family first and unconditional love. It¶s not always easy, but those
two traits have served me my entire life.
My mothers¶ side of the family is incredible. Like a family seen on a television sitcom;
they love to be together, they are each other¶s best friend and are constantly looking for the next
fun thing to do together. I grew up living very close to my mother sister, my Aunt Trish. She
wasn¶t the same tender heart that my mother was, but the examples she set are truly second to
none. My aunt is the best homemaker and disciplinarian I have ever witnessed
While my father turned out to be this utter train wreck of a husband, father and person,
his mother, my grandmother was my angel. There are periods in my life where she lived with us
when I was growing up, and every time she was there it was like she had come to save the day.
She was patient, kind and knew how to make a great meal for her family. These life lessons and
traits are the ones that I hold the dearest to my heart.
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Who I Am Today: The Reflections of a Wife & Mother 4
Significant Events
These women and the lives of example that they led, were perhaps more influential than
any of them knew for quite some time. While in my adult years I am in a constant state of
gratitude for everything that they did for me. However, I grew difficult in my teenage years and
to them and for a time had very little interest in what they had to say or offer. Regardless of
background, I believe that every teen experiences some of that.
Looking back on my years growing up, I was always amazed at how my mother managed
to save face and maintain her composure for as many years as she did. Looking back I am still
amazed at the amount of strength that I saw in my mother back then and still see in her now.
I grew up and watched my Aunt raise my two cousins with a firm but very loving hand.
No matter what they did or didn¶t do, no matter how hard she came down on them, they always
knew that she did what she did because she loved them. It is my belief that because of this they
are two of the most amazing, happy and successful adults I know. She taught me that tough love
didn¶t have to be hurtful and damaging. Now as and mother with my own children, I am able to,
when the need arises, discipline my children with the same type of ³firm but very loving hand´.
My Grandmother taught me many things, but one of the things that stuck with me was the
food she would make. It was like she could bottle up the love in her heart and could literally pour
it into the food, you could taste the love. So while she wasn¶t always the most emotionally
expressive woman, I always knew that she loved me, it was in her cooking. Today I cook for my
family every night, there is always something fresh baked or made from scratch. I guess that you
could say I carry on my Grandmother legacy by cooking with love just like she did. Who knew a
slice of chicken pot pie could remind you of a warm hug on a cold day.
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Who I Am Today: The Reflections of a Wife & Mother 5
Conclusion
So what I have learned about myself is that like Nelson Mandela, I have been fighting my
own nonviolent campaign. In his writing A Long Walk to Freedom (1995) he states, ³In any
nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps: collection of the facts to determine whether
injustices exist; negotiation; self-purification; and direct action." I can reflect on my life and see
how I have gone through these four basic steps.
By watching my parents together I learned what type of marriage I didn¶t want, and by
watching the women in my family I learned the keys to becoming a successful wife and mother. I
have learned how to break the cycle of dysfunction by being able to clearly define where the
dysfunction was. Sometimes the biggest issues are found in the darkest corners, and sometimes
the hardest things to rise above and overcome are the very things that you can¶t so easily see.
There is one thing that I know for sure. Life isn¶t as complicated as everyone seems to
make it out to be. Thoreau said it best, ³Simplify, simplify, simplify.´ The trick to it is catching
the wave at the right time and being willing to hang on when the wave feels like it¶s going to
break. We are the makers of our own destiny and I have taken mine by the horns. I refuse to be
the typical product of a troubled upbringing; I choose to set the example of how one can rise
above. I am not a victim of circumstances but a champion of overcoming obstacles.
As I watch my children grow up, I see them glow with the happiness of their youth. I feel
like I have been able to give them everything that I wanted most as a child; a stable home, two
loving parents and positive examples of what I believe a family should be. I believe that in the
end, what matters most, is the difference that you were able to make in the life of a child. My
hope is that I will be the example they need to carry on a new pattern of healthy families
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Who I Am Today: The Reflections of a Wife & Mother 6
References
Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom, 1995
http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/frequentdocs/birmingham.pdf
Henry Thoreau and µCivil Disobedience¶ by Wendy McElroy, 2005, retrieved from
http://www.lewrockwell.com/mcelroy/mcelroy86.html