Growing up

I grew up in a single parent household. My mom died when I was 16 months old. I was with Kevin today and he said “I thought I’d live in The Clem all my life”. I seriously had no preconceived notions of what my life would be when I grew up. Sure, I thought I’d be married and have a family. I guess it seems as though some people have this “white picket fence” dream or this or that. Not me. I really had no idea what “normal” was so I guess I figured it would come as it did. Though I do remember thinking I’d love to have a boat when I grew up.

One thing I remember vividly, I wanted to be a teacher. I had a few teacher’s who made a huge impact in my life. When I was little, I guess everyone knew that I didn’t have a mom so it wasn’t a big deal, but once I got to school, that was an odd thing. It wasn’t very common for single parent families when I was young, but it was even less common for single parent families, led by fathers. I cried a lot (I guess somethings never change… lol), I had one teacher especially, Mrs. Carol Bacile. She was blonde and pretty, a son named Todd who was in my first grade class but not in my second (obviously because his mom was the teacher). I was friends with Todd and would go to his house, which was kind of seemed odd to everyone else but me, but I thought it was cool. They lived close to the school. I can’t remember one specific thing that she did that made me feel so at ease, but maybe it was just her way. I didn’t want to leave and go to the third grade because she was so great!

I don’t know what exactly happened on why I didn’t become a teacher because I decided early on that I wasn’t going to make it that way. I know that what I do now, I love. I love that in a different way I am a teacher, hopefully teaching young women and young men that the only way to live is for Jesus. That somehow I can be an encourager to those I love, as Mrs. Bacile was to me.

Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it

Comments

Jada's Gigi said…
You really are..with all your Youth involvement...what a fabulous teacher you turned out to be!
Deb said…
You are incredible. I've said it before and I'll say it again...you'll never know this side of heaven the impact you're having on the lives of those young people whom you love and teach each day!