When I was about 5 or 6, I overheard my parents and my visiting grandparents talking about us children one night when they thought we were all sleeping. My older brother and sister, my heroes, were honor students, musically talented, and I thought they were perfect. My Mom made a comment that has stuck with me all my life. She said, “Sue is our bright, shiny penny.”
What a gift! Even at that tender age, I knew she meant they felt I was special. She said they knew I would do well in life because I always adapted quickly to new situations – which we had a lot of because we moved so much for my Dad’ work – and because I always got along well with others. My Granddad often said I was a little diplomat. I had no idea what that meant, but from his tone I could tell it was a good thing. Interesting the influence adult comments can have on shaping a child’s self image.
I was in second grade the first time I ever heard the term “transient”, and I knew it wasn’t good. This was from a teacher talking with other teachers on the playground about the sudden over-crowding of the schools due to Williston, North Dakota’s 1953 oil boom. That’s not even why we had come to town, but I knew she meant us and I felt bad about it. In truth, this over-crowding very likely had more to do with the first wave of the Baby Boom generation starting school, and overwhelming every school from then until we dwarfed our college dorms as 178,000,000 of us showed up at the same time.
Back to the unkind and judgmental use of the term “transients”. I went home and asked my Mom about this, and here was her very wise response: “Oh, Honey, some people never get to move, never get to go anywhere and meet new people. That poor teacher has probably just lived here all of her life. You’re one of the lucky ones! You must promise me you will always be kind and never brag about this or show off to the other children.” It was years later that I learned how my Mom struggled with moving nearly every year or so. In that moment she rescued her seven year-old from the negative influence of a thoughtless comment.
In your earliest stages of reinventing your new Re-Jeweled life, try to remember the people who have favorably influenced your outlook on life, and your self- image. Always focus on the positive and leave behind the uninformed teacher on the playground.
– Sue
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