I’m Turning into my Mother
Growing up I spent a lot of time making notes of all the things I wasn’t going to do when I was an adult and criticizing my parents. In my teens I would cringe if someone said anything that compared me to my parents. But as often happens I evolved into a grownup who now exhibits behavior that clearly shows the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree (I love clichés). Though now that I am an adult it isn’t nearly as horrific a thought as I used to think.
My mother was an English teacher and a perfectionist. She wanted to be a journalist and a writer but growing up in the 1950’s unless you were the go against the grain type of women, you became a teacher, secretary, or a nurse. That’s even if you went to school.
I remember my mom telling me her dad took flack from his friends when he sent my grandmother back to college in the late 1950’s and then sent her in 1960. His friends told him if he educated his wife she would leave him and why was he wasting his money on educating his daughter when she would just get married and her husband would reap the benefits. Thank goodness my grandfather could see past that narrow-mindedness thought process of the time.
However, my mother was more a follower than a trailblazer so she choose to be a teacher. Super smart she majored in English and minored in journalism. She taught high school English and Latin and quit to stay home when I was born. Then when I started school she started subbing and eventually found her calling teaching adult high school equivalency classes. She dabbled in writing stories on the side but never went anywhere with it. Of course that was the days before indie publishing so her opportunities weren’t as great.
I grew up not wanting to have anything in common with my mom. At first consciously and then as I grew older I just became a much different person than her and didn’t think much about our similarities. I didn’t really think we had any. Until I woke up one day and realized how much like her I am.
She was a teacher. > I’m a college professor.
She had a degree in English. > Mine are in business BUT I am currently working on a MFA in writing.
She wanted to be a journalist. > I’m a blogger.
She wanted to write books. > I write books.
If you would have asked me in high school or my 20’s if we had similar interests I would have answered with a resounding no. But today I am proud to follow somewhat in her footsteps and even be able to take my passions a little further than she was able too in her day. Even though she passed away many years ago she still provides much inspiration and daily motivation. I know how proud she would be if she were here to see how like her I am.
How have you become like your parents?
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