I always thought I was unique about seeing faces in patterns or saying a certain vegetable or color that is not the same one that everybody else thinks of. Jenna has watched a lot of "Brain Games" and as I have watched it with her, I have discovered that I fall into the norm. What?! I don't want to be normal. I want to embrace my differentness. What differentness?
Last night Roland and I were watching 20/20 (found here and here) in which Diane Sawyer interviewed a number of people and took us into a piece of their lives and I cried about the struggles of the average American working hard for so little - holding multiple jobs just to stay afloat. And that is what most of us are doing - just staying afloat.
My parents weren't the wealthiest of couples, but my dad was GREAT at math and budgeting. With the help of clipping coupons and knowing where to find the great bargains, mom and dad made it work. They gave us everything with what little they had. Every year my family would go on a vacation together. Every year. The one year that we couldn't afford to go on vacation, we spent each day doing family outings. (see here and here)
I had wanted to do that with my family whenever I had one. I didn't know I would be so dirt poor that just going to the movies would break us. I know there are many who are better off than we are (financially anyway) but apparently we're still doing better than average. And that's scary. What kind of a nation are we living in that people are donating their plasma to make ends meet or try to provide their child with a birthday gift or sleeping in their cars during the day so that they can taxi other workers home at day's end?
Why is a firefighter doubling as a paramedic not getting paid a decent salary? Firefighters put their lives on the line for us and they're only getting minimum wage? What kind of crock is that? Why are so many educators working second and third jobs? Why are so many people spending so many hours apart from those they are trying to support?
This morning we were watching a documentary on the roots of Joseph Smith - how his father had been cheated out of a sale made, how the family moved from place to place and continued to struggle. Evidently, we stand in good company.
We have always had a roof over our heads, food to eat, clothes to wear. Currently, Roland does not have to travel to work which saves for gas money and wear and tear on the car. He hasn't had to spend 2-6 hours on the road to get to McDonald's just to make ends meet. We have been blessed.
I still would like to take our entire family on vacation. I'd like for all of us to go to Disneyland in October. That is when mom and dad were married, and that is where they spent their honeymoon. It would be hurtful to go at the expense of somebody else - struggling just to put food on the table. It makes me sad. It would be truly amazing if Trump could single-handedly turn us around. Six more days. Kayla's birthday. What a thrill getting a new president inaugurated every four birthdays. LOL
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