The one thing I did that I'm most proud of is making it on my own. After high school, my mother refused to send me to college. She sent my two brothers, but I had to stay at home, get a job, and pay her rent. It was a tough lesson, but I learned responsibility well. I worked since high school, non-stop, while taking night courses in secretarial skills. Over 40 years, I advanced very slowly in the legal secretarial field, finally doing some paralegal work and making real good money. I worked for companies that offered excellent benefits, including profit-sharing, and it's those wise investments that I'm living on today. When I became engaged and wanted a wedding, even though I was the only daughter, I was turned down, my mother claiming they could not afford it because of all the money they were spending to send my younger brother to college. I paid for my own wedding, such as it was, with my own money. My gown certainly wasn't much, but I remember paying for it over time; it cost me $90. It was 1967.
While my older brother became a nuclear scientist and second-in-command at NASA, my younger brother did not fare nearly as well, and all of his weddings I am sure were paid for for him. My brothers had financial help, both of them, and even got an inheritance, while I was cut out of the will and ended up with nothing from my family.
I'm very proud that I ended up as well as I have, because I did it ALL on my own, with absolutely no help from anyone. And, ironically, I turned out happier than any of my family. I have myself to thank, no one else.
-------------------- <img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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