My Parents

My Parents

My parents were still teenagers at heart, drinking, partying and smoking.  Anytime there was a party at the Base, they’d be there.  They kicked up their heels at house parties to the tunes of Bill Haley and Little Richard.  They knew how to have a good time. We were just along for the ride.

What effect did they have on me as an adult? Well, once I got over the resentment I had for them, especially towards my father, I figured I fell into the realm of ‘The test of fire makes strong steel’. In the adversity, I built character. My father became insignificant.  He had proven himself to me and I had no use for him.  The fact that he left the country when I was18 to retire in Spain for 35 years did not endear me to him. I was always felt I missed out on that special father-daughter relationship, but it just wasn’t in the cards for me. I feel he stole some joy out of me. 

At difficult periods in my life, the darkness I felt as a child would haunt me. Life’s challenges would be exercises to resist going there emotionally.  It was always there, like part of my blue print. Most times I would succeed in averting it, other times, not so successful.

My mother had the ability to carry on regardless of what others may think and to act in her own best interest. These traits were almost opposite to my make up.  But I studied her and wished I could be more like her because she was always happy, wasn’t a complainer and always made the best of any situation.