Reflections (standard:non fiction, 918 words)
Author: Lauren H.	Added: Aug 30 2007	Views/Reads: 3176/0	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
If you are interested in learning more about me read this!

I am basically just a country girl. I feel like a fish out of water for
the past 13 years. I had to move away from my country home to the small 
city where I was born. When I say small city I mean a total population 
of 40,000. The urban areas and suburbs surrounding this city are 
growing at an alarming rate. I live within the city limits on a nice 
quiet street with lots of trees and squirrels. On Sunday mornings I can 
pretend that I am still living in the country. What I miss most about 
country living is the sound of nothing except nature. Bugs flying, 
birds singing, etc. 

My father's parents were mountain people. They were reared on farms
where orchards grew and everyone pretty much lived off the land. They 
survived the great depression. They carried the habits of conserving 
and using everything three times or more before throwing it away to 
their old age. They married in their early twenties and had a big 
family. My father was one of many siblings. He told me that he grew up 
feeing sort of lost in the shuffle. A middle child among middle 
children. He was insecure and carried that insecurity to his adulthood. 


He did not succeed at happiness with his marriage to my mother. They
divorced and gave up me and the others for adoption. His parents took 
me. They were in their early 60's when they began to rear me. What a 
generation gap! I remember feeling like I really didn't fit in anywhere 
until I was a teen. Then I began to gather some self-confidence and 
courage. I found my solace during hard times in the study of nature. I 
loved to go hiking, bike riding all by myself and on fishing excursions 
to a small creek near my home. I took my dog and a picnic lunch. It was 
my escape. Just to get outdoors. 

My early life was lived in the country in a old farm house. We didn't
have a bathroom. We used an outhouse and chamber pots. We only had 
indoor plumbing in the kitchen. We washed clothes with a ringer washer 
and hung them out on a clothesline. We took baths in a tin tub that we 
filled with water that was heated on a stove. We raised chickens and 
had a big garden. We pretty much lived off the land until I was 7 years 
old. Then we moved to a new house when my Granddad got a good job. 

Those early years were tough sometimes, but I have a lot of fond
memories of them as well. We didn't have a telephone. Our TV was black 
and white. We were only allowed to watch one hour of TV each day. We 
had regular chores to do.  I entertained myself with make believe 
games. I made my own paper dolls and wrote little stories about them. 
One of my favorite things to do was explore the attic and dress up in 
old clothes. 

I loved my pets and always had cats and dogs. I found that I related
more to animals than to people. When I grew older I found it exciting 
to go visit my first cousins who lived in this small city where I was 
born. They were bold and free. Their parents gave them a lot of 
freedom. They hung around with a group of neighborhood kids who did 
naughty things on a dare. I was a bit shocked at times by their 
shenanigans. Their friends called me the hick from the country and made 
fun of the way I talked. 

I always enjoyed drawing and painting. In high school I began to explore
my artistic talents. Art and photography became an important outlet for 
me. Another escape from reality. But also a self-esteem booster. I 
married for the first time at age 18, for the second time at age 37 and 
for the third time at age 43. I am done with marriage now. They say the 
third time is the charm. Well, maybe it is. I am happy sometimes and 
sad sometimes. I think I would be that way no matter whether I was 
married or not. I find that I like being married. My husband and I are 
good friends and we try to take care of one another. But I do not want 
to do it anymore after this one. I have two beautiful adult daughters 
and five young grandchildren. I love my family and feel very blessed to 
have them. 

I still like to express my artistic nature. Now I do all my photography
with my digital camera. I use my PC software and printer to make my 
photos just perfect. I share them via email with my friends all over 
the US and some overseas. The information technology age is great! I 
love to write. I don't think that I am very good at it. But I really 
enjoy it. 

I recently took a short vacation to the eastern shore. I stayed in a
small bayside town. It was very charming and very quiet. It was only an 
hour's drive from ocean resorts. I liked it so much there that I want 
to go back and find a place to live there. Start a new life there. I 
have lived in this place for 13 years and in this county all of my 
life. I am tired of it and I want a change. 


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