Today’s National Blog Post Month Blogher prompt asks you what the most important lesson was that you learned as a child and who taught it to you. Well, I’d have to say there are a few lessons I have to list, not just one.
1. Have manners, always say please and thank you. That was taught to me by my uncle Gary. As a kid he towered over me at 6 ft tall so almost anything he said was taken as an order. Uncle Gary was dating my aunt when I was born and they eventually went on to get married and I can truly say it was he that taught me to always have manners (and my love of History but that’s for another post). So many kids were NOT taught this simple lesson and you see a bunch of entitled feeling mofo’s walking around. You hold the door for someone and they don’t say thanks, they just walk right past you without grabbing onto the door you’re waiting for them to grab. You expect to pass the torch sort of, holding on with your fingertips so they will “catch” the door and not have it slam in their face. Instead these mofo’s act like they’re royalty and as if you are holding the door for them to pass thru without touching a thing. Bi*ch please! Say thank you!
2. Reading is fundamental. On the weekends when my dad would pick us up, we would get dropped off at the Plainfield Public Library for a few hours. I can’t recall whose idea it was. Not sure if it was my dad, wanting us to be surrounded by knowledge in books or if it was my sister who secretly planned for us to meet up with other friends there. I don’t care whose idea it was anymore, i’m so thankful for those library visits. I loved the smell of the books, the feel of the thick cards in the card catalog, our original paper google. I loved the quietness, the calmness and I think those hours at the library as a young child, had such an impact on me and my love of reading. My love of escaping into other worlds through my imagination. I love libraries and book stores so much I think i’d love to buy one and live in it 🙂 Thinking back to it, we were maybe 10 and being dropped off, with no supervision. Tres cool. Our library felt like it was futuristic in the 80’s. It was two floors, had a big fountain in the middle, I loved it.
3. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I think it was 2nd grade, Ms. Grey’s class at Stillman school. This was embedded into my brain that year. The golden rule, treat others like you want to be treated. Be kind unto others. It was a great lesson in my mind because I expected everyone to be nice. I was super nice and quiet and shy. But there were a lot of mean kids, who didn’t do unto others. So while I still think of this as the Golden rule, I do make sure to tell me kids, Do unto others, but don’t let people treat you like crap! 🙂
