Learning From the Past

Life is a strict and sometimes cruel teacher, but only if we refuse to learn from the past.

I have learned a lost these past couple of years, about life, love, family, work, finances, economy, and some old t.v. sitcom episodes.

Life throws curve balls, you can't have a one-hit strategy if you expect to make it.

Love carries on through thick and thin and uplifts. It continually gives, and the more it gives, the more there is to give.

Family is the most important thing in life and for love. Family may be blood relations, or the family we make for ourselves as we journey through life. Loving the family puts life in perspective.

Work is hard, and as I've always maintained, "anything worth having is worth working for it." The harder you work, the more work there is to be done.

Finances are like, in the top 3 reasons people use for getting a divorce, defaulting on loans, and various other life issues. Being financially responsible ensures the well-being of self and family. It's vitally important to keep track of spending, and finding the best deals and learning the fine art of barter-and-trade.

Economy, local to global, is in steep fluctuations. Yes, I sometimes keep up on what's going on out in the world. The economy isn't based solely on corporations and mega-moguls and governments, it comes down to an individual level. To individual finances and the choices we make.

Watching DVD episodes of an old t.v. sitcom has provided me with laughs, educational moments for my children, and chuckles about the past. One of the jokes on the show went "We're so poor we have to work up to 'broke'" and I can completely identify with that. My entire life speaks of the working up. The other joke was said in regards to the recession in the 1980's and blacks (made by a black person mind you, so I'm not being racist.)-- "We black folk didn't even know there was a recession cuz we've never been able to afford anything anyway!" Something along those lines.

Not too long back, I had quoted my own 'joke' about our. . . lack of enough funds-- "We're so broke now that we can't afford to go Christmas shopping at a Dollar Store!"

Life for us has changed dramatically in the past couple of years. So dramatically that it's hard to wrap my head around it all-- learning to ask for help (in many areas), learning to do some things for myself (like starting a wood fire to heat the house. . . with 'green' wood), going from "how are we going to eat, the beans and rice are almost gone" to "Boy, we'd better hurry and get our stuff at the other house taken care of so we can get renters in there!" And I have to mention that this whole being a mom of teenagers is. . . well, it came a lot sooner than I was expecting. Overall, it's not horrendous, as I put in a lot of time parenting (okay, all of my time) since the kids were born, so it's not like there's dramatic rule changes that have to occur-- we do, however, have to deal with dramatic fluctuation of hormones! Ahhhhhhhhh!

I love my kids, and I even like them most of the time (I think). There's something to that, given that we're homeschooling for the third year in a row, and the continuance of doing it is something the kids want, not just Hubby and I saying "we're doing it." In fact, as I've become overwhelmed with so much responsibility, I've given serious consideration to putting them back into public school, but Hubby (who was questioning homeschooling in the beginning) has said, "Absolutely not! They are doing far better now, and they are happy and enjoying it, and getting a better education. They're not going back!" The kids have said, "Well, couldn't we just use this curriculum in the school? Oh, wait, if we went to school now, we wouldn't get to be part of the homeschool group (aka, parent-partnership program) and see our friends. We'll keep doing what we're doing."

The difficulty (one of many, actually) that I am finding is that I haven't been able to learn from past moving experiences. This is my 30th move, and it's not any easier or smooth! Each move entails differences, and it's hard to anticipate those differences. One thing is for sure. . . we're done moving! Well, you know, once we finish this one (which is now in its 6th month).

Ahhh, Life, the great teacher. Learning from the past can be hard or easy, it can make you or break you, and everything in between.

~Cedeham~