I Learned Almost Everything I Know From My Parents

I Never Saw It Before

It is true

The taught me my basic principles of life

Even though I have grown

I have never strayed from the ground rules

Influenced in many ways

At a very young age

They gave me the foundation of everything I learned after that

Even if I thought they were wrong

I have had many years to see it in a different light

I know they always had my best interest at heart

They would do anything to make sure my brothers and me

Stayed safe and did the right things

They were not concerned with the material things

We did not have a lot of things other people had

Our neighbors had built ground in pools,vacation homes and mini bikes

We learned to take care of what we did own

We were reminded if we broke something

We would not get another

At different times we had some really cool stuff

We had a plastic swimming pool and a swing set when we were young

A screen house and a garden as we got older

Living in one of the smallest houses in the city

We learned to make do

My father worked one job

Only later when we were older

My mother got a job

My father was not very happy

He thought it would change the dynamics of the house

How right he was

From the littlest thing to the biggest change

We always worked together as a family

If it was painting the house

Shoveling out the driveway in the winter

Cutting the grass

Planting the garden

Watering the plants and making them grow

Years of lessons

Years of learning

Life unfolding before our eyes

To lead us to this day

When we have to make it on our own