Growing

Do you remember certain events that made you grow to become independant?

Lots of events in our lives make us grow as individuals, but I am talking about those events that stand out, the ones that were painful, but when you do, do it, you think "There, I did it".

I can think of two such examples in my life.

The first one is that I had to be about ten or eleven years old and my mother had enrolled me in swimming lessons at a YMCA that was located close to our school. Now the school that we went to was a 25 minute drive from our home, so there was car pooling with another mom whose kids also went to our school. On this particular day, the lady picked us up, took me to the Y and said, "I understand you have new swimming lessons today, well, here you go, see you tomorrow". Off she went for home. I remember standing at the steps of the Y thinking, but what happens if there is a mix up, they don't have my name, or it is the wrong night or ....". Yep, sink or swim time, I slowly mounted the stairs, went in the building, went up more stairs and asked at the desk if they had my name, and the time of my class. I thought for a while I was going to throw up, but sure enough they had my name, and off I went to the ladies change room to get dressed. I remember thinking, wow, I did it and I did not pass out. I am ok and I could probably do this again if need be.

The second time was when I was seventeen and about to go in university. We were living on the Atlantic coast of Canada and it was the weekend before university was to start. My parents then called me into the livingroom to tell me that dad had been transferred to the city where I now reside. I had the option of being able to stay where I was and go to the university I had been accepted into, or tranfer up to the big city and go to school there. I decided ok, I will move. So fast forward to a week later, dad and I are on the plane and hit the big city University. After the morning run around by the university, it was time to pick my classes. Dad then says to me "Are you ok to pick your classes, I gotta go to the office, then get back to the airport so I can go home". "Uhh, OK" I said, when inside I am thinking "don't leave me", but Dad says, "Ok, cya" and I watch him go down the stairs and out the door of the Admin building on campus. I am sure my heart was pounding and the person next to me could hear it, but I swallowed my stomach, got registered, got back to where I was staying, picked up my books, and headed back to class for that night. I remember being really lonely that night, wondering if I had made the right decision .

I think this experience was one of the hardest things I have ever done, but standing on your own two feet usually is.


Thought for the day
Independance is a hard lesson to learn.