Values

I have to admit that I'm taking this idea from my aunt Jocelyn.  She's been doing the 30 days of gratitude along with me and one of the things she was grateful for, the values that her parents taught her.  Thanks for doing the challenge with me "the Tante".  On day 7, I am so grateful for the wonderful values my parents instilled in me.  More specifically - respect, integrity, determination and kindness.

I think learning about respect came at a young age.  Whenever we had company, or went over to someone's house as a family, we were always told to behave nicely, sit on the couch and be quiet.  Okay, perhaps it sounds harsh written this way.  It's not that we weren't allowed to be kids, but the principal was stay to yourselves, don't cause raucous, and don't be so noisy that it disturbs everyone else.  And so, we would watch a movie, or play a board game.  Play Nintendo, or a computer game.  If it was summer, more than likely we played outside, on the swing set, or in the pool.  Maybe even a game of hide-and-go-seek.  I have pretty good memories of playing board games with my cousins Annie and Marie, or showing them my uber computer skills on our old Apple II computer.  I remember playing Nintendo with my cousin Natalie.  I remember watching movies at my uncle John's house with my all my cousins.  I don't remember any running around and constant nudging on mom.  I don't remember being noisy, or my brothers being loud.  Everything was calm, and I think it had a lot to do with us respecting our elders (not trying to call anyone ancient here - just an expression).  I think it's something that is lacking with a lot of youth these days.  But, maybe I don't know enough youths to form an unbiased opinion.  I can only base it on the youths I see every day on the train, or at the mall.  Hopefully it's just a case of misinterpreted perception.

I think I have a pretty good ethical code.  I am not easily influenced.  I have my own opinions, not that I share them easily.  Perhaps I do more now with my blog, but it hasn't been something I've often voiced.  I like what I like, and you'll have a hard time dissuading me from those things.  I don't like to be the same as everybody else.  I am who I am, and I'm content with that.  I work hard.  When I'm dedicated to something, I stick to it (perhaps you've noticed with my writing in this blog almost every day).  I can admit when I'm wrong, though I might not liked it.  Again, I think that was something my parents taught me, with having their own sets of rules and regulations.  Do your homework when you get home from school and do it right is just one example.

Determination...  that's something I really admire about myself.  I've always aspired to be the best I can be.  My parents always pushed me to do well in school, helped me understand when I didn't get it.  They encouraged me.  Sometimes it was frustrating, because the encouragement came in the form of "where's the 4%" when I scored a 96% on a really difficult provincial exam.  But I know (now) that the intention behind it was just to give me motivation for the next exam and to keep trying for that 100%.  You start to waiver when you are satisfied with 90%.  That turns into 80%, 70%, 60%.  I think it was the right push to help me keep my motivation.  Motivation to get a good job in a new country.  Motivation to fight Crohn's disease when it was at it's worse.  And now, determination to keep on living, even though I am living with the most unimaginable thing that could happen to a person.  I would have taught the same to Preston... and I kind of feel like he had that determination in him.  He was such a little fighter when he was in the NICU and he just proved that he could grow up to be just as strong as other kids.  For whatever reason, SIDS took him away from us, and if it's something he could have fought against, I guarantee that he would have.  Sorry little guy, I'd have taken your place in a heartbeat.  I can only pray that you didn't suffer.  My new determination - keep on writing this blog, in the hopes of a) spreading happiness like Preston would have if he was still here and b) spread awareness of SIDS, miscarriage, stillbirth and other types of infant loss.  It's earth shattering when it happens to you, and I'd like to somehow create more support for those who live through it.

Do onto others, what you would like done upon you.  Don't judge a book by it's cover.  If you don't have something nice to say, don't say it.  Give a helping hand.  My parents taught me this by example.  They always helped out the neighbors, and their siblings.  They helped us, and did what they could to make us happy.  They never had anything bad to say about anyone.  They're just good hearted folks, and I'm blessed enough to call them Mom and Dad.  They couldn't have predicted that I'd have to live with an incurable disease like Crohn's disease.  They couldn't have predicted that I'd lose my firstborn child.  But, they gave me the tools to survive with dignity.  All I can say is thank you.

 

Annie, c'est ma photo favorite de toi! Go la couette!