Today I saw something that took me back to my early childhood. I was stopped behind a school bus on a back service road behind the Super 8 Hotel. A young student, who looked to be around the age of 12, got off and headed towards the hotel alone. I felt like I could relate to this kid.
I remember being the kid who lived in a run down pink motel off the side of the highway. I remember being the kid who lived at the camping grounds. I also remember being the new kid year after year. I can’t really tell you if I was always aware of my family’s living situation. Life didn’t necessarily seem out of place or lacking, but at the same time there were instances where I could sense that I wasn’t getting something. I knew at the time that there was something just beyond my comprehension and I would try so hard to grasp what I was missing.
This sudden revisiting of memories drove my thoughts into several directions at once. I began to think about how far a person can go, despite how humble their roots may have been. I thought about how the past flavors our present and future selves, but do not necessarily dictate every decision we make. I thought about how life can be so surprising, if we allow ourselves to be surprised. And I thought how every moment, no matter how that moment is described, provides us with valuable insight.
As I stated above, I feel that I can relate to this young man. I don’t feel sorry for him, for pity has never helped anyone. I do feel that in some ways he is luckier then his peers. If he allows it, his experiences will bring him strength through perspective that others his age won’t know until later in life.
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