An Ordinary/Extraordinary History

When I think about my life story, I tend to think it is so ordinary, so simple, that no one could possibly have an interest in hearing about it.

It’s true. The youngest of a very large family, I didn’t come from wealth or high status. My parents were not executives, held no political or high office in the city. Their own beginnings were meager to say the least.

In my family history, most of them would have probably resembled the ordinary farm folks you see in those old black and white photographs. At least to my knowledge, that is. If I have a small family fortune to inherit somewhere that I am not aware of, I’d sure love to discover it! But I’m not going to hold my breath!

By worldly/monetary standards, you would say I had a poor upbringing. Being a child in my own little world, I had no consideration about money, status, or what we did or did not have. I had absolutely no concern about it, because for me, it did not effect my happy, carefree outlook on things. Life then was all about being at home, being together, and just being kids. 

My Mother, who through no fault of her own, became a single mother before I was born, did an extraordinary job at providing such a full life, that I never had even a clue that our family was indeed poor.

I didn’t have a lot of fancy, store-bought clothes, but I had one of a kind, hand-tailored dresses and clothes that my Mother could whip together with the smallest of effort, that received as much attention as anyone else’s. If we needed a particular outfit for a special occasion at school or church, my Mom could work her magic and have it sewed, pressed and ready to wear within just a couple of hours.

Go hungry? Never! Food was abundant! Raspberries, spinach, tomatoes, picked and eaten, right there, straight out of the garden! Frozen peaches and cherries enjoyed on a hot summer day! Mom made the best biscuits around. 

The gardening, canning, milk cows, fresh eggs, and home-raised meat provided all that we needed. Mom would get permission to go into orchards and potato fields and glean what had fallen to the ground or was left behind. 

And my family, the best you could ask for. There are too many wonderful things to tell!

I remember overhearing a conversation between two of my sisters. The one asked if we were rich, to which the other one replied, “We are rich in the Lord”.

For me, you just can’t get any better than that.