The manner in which one carries themselves in public has much to do with two features of life: the personality that is acquired at the moment of conception and the experiences in life that act as forces to shape that personality as one matures. I was fortunate to have parents that were both outgoing, yet conservative in nature. Because my father was in the service I was provided the opportunity to experience different environments and various cultures as we moved every year and a half. These factors were the basics of the context in which I learned how to function as a young girl and how I have adapted to my life as a mature adult.
I enjoyed very healthy relationships with my family and friends growing up. Although my family was not wealthy, I lacked no physical, emotional, or spiritual nurturance and therefore was content. I was smiled at and learned to smile a lot myself. People liked being around me. I gave off good vibrations; real positive and upbeat. It is so sad that today’s female population can’t smile at just anyone for fear of being thought of as a freak or that they are loose.
I have enjoyed very good health as well. I have always been physically strong and very much an athlete. If one were to observe me walking through campus it wouldn’t be difficult to recognize by my gait that I played some type of sport. I admit I was a tomboy through and through. Climbing trees was my fame and volleyball was my game. And I am okay knowing the way I physically maneuver my body isn’t all that appealing to the opposite sex. I like who I am and the things I can do and the people who appreciate me for all that I am. Like my husband of 29 years.
Of course, it should go without saying that I like to wear sweats and baggy jeans instead of leggings or pants that often show every inch of cellulite that I have acquired over time. I do appreciate style though. My idea of style is coordinating colors, tasteful contour of lines that accentuate my body instead of punctuating it, and reasonable heel height. I assume by now that anyone reading this post would realize I am an older woman who is pretty much set in her ways. All I know is that I need to feel comfortable with what I wear in order to be myself.
Moving from location to location definitely impacted my mental outlook on life. I was forced to adapt and grow in self-identity and self-concept or drown in inhibitions wherever my father was transferred. I enjoyed every move we made; it presented challenges and compensation on my behalf if I was to succeed in school and in play. I developed self-efficacy at a very young age. And this belief in my own abilities is what has inspired me to return to college after redshirting for 37 years. It is interesting though. The students in face-to-face classes generally do not pick me for group work because of my age. It’s a great feeling when I can see they wish they had.
What a great feeling! It is such a great feeling when you can be comfortable in your own skin..cellulite and all,LOL!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds as though you had a great childhood even though you moved around a lot. I think that children that do not have strong family relationships tend to have issues with this type of lifesyle because they rely on their friends to fullfil their emotional needs. This chapter has made it even more clear to me than before how important the family ties are in an individuals development. It has challenged me in so many ways to ensure that my children feel comfortable with who they are.
After all, it is great to be around individuals who know who they are, and are proud of it. Not that we cannot admit there can be improvements. It is just that some things you just have to come to understand..It's just who I am"
I too had to move a lot during childhood, and it has made me a very versatile person. I have learned a lot from all my experiences in the places where I have lived. I have lived in Washington D.C., Alaska, and California. In all of these places I have moved several times, and all of those moves have contributed something to my life. After a few moves I started to learn how to quickly assimilate among my peers. This skill has given me the ability to conform to almost any situation I am confronted with. Not only did I acquire quick assimilation, but I also learned a great deal about other cultures due to my continuous moving. For example, in Alaska I learned a lot about the natives. I learned about their way of life, and what they did in the community. Also in California I have learned a lot about many different cultures. All over in California there are majority populations, and each time I moved around within the state I would be confronted with a new population. From these populations I would learn their way of life. As a child, I was not happy when I had to move all the time, although I certainly do not regret any move because it shaped me to become the person I am today, much like you.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great blog! I think you really connected with your readers through the use of logos, ethos and pathos. Bravo. I really enjoyed reading and getting to know your story.
ReplyDeleteI kind of wonder when this self realization actually turns on the light up stairs. When I was young girl all I wanted was to spin around in my dress and climb the brick wall playing army men with my brother. I personally really never cared how I carried myself it was more so that I wanted actually to be informed and up to speed in order to have meaningful conversations. However now that the years have gone by it takes more thought in the morning to put myself together successfully, getting that power suit on and mentally challenging myself, to get peoples attention to invest in me. I think as we get older people tend to focus more so on how we and person actually carries themselves. We tend to judge the book by its cover and I believe this is why those of who over a certain age and back in college are the last to picked for group work. It’s unfortunate because we all have something to contribute to the learning process, though it’s awfully funny to see how it plays out in the end.