The first day of the rest of my life

We have all heard the phrase "The first day of the rest of your life".  Well I woke up today and realized this is the first day of the rest of my life.  Meaning, I am changing and have a new set of discoveries that I am seeking.

I realized my life is not built around things but around people and love.  I realized that yes I must work to provide for my family and provide the basics in life, but my girls love time with me.  Last night watching the meteor shower with them they loved it.  They had lots of questions and we had some great conversation waiting to see the meteors, but they missed it as it was getting late and they were tired.

As I sat and watched the meteors after they went to bed I thought about the person I am today and all the things that have changed to make me the who I am.  I used to be a person of secrets, hiding everything from everyone.  Being someone that I knew the individual wanted me to be but was I happy?  Sure, I was happy to some extent otherwise I would have moved on as one of the things I value is my happiness.  Sure we go through life with the ups and downs, valleys and peaks, but those are character building.

Today I was talking about how parents help kids build character without even knowing it.  I have never aspired to be a part of a specific clique growing up.  I appreciated my individuality and could associate with many different types of people.  I give credit to my mom for helping me build character and she didn't even know it.  One way she helped me build character is (and I will never forget it as there are photos) is the year I got the orange afro.

I was in 7th grade and involved in all kinds of clubs.  I was student body president for 7th grade, drama club, debate, basketball and my mom thought it would be a good idea to give me a "reverse perm".  See I have very curly hair and a reverse perm was suppose to "relax" the curl.  Well she took me to the salon and the stylist "did not" give me a reverse perm but a full perm so when she pulled the rods out I had an afro, a big orange reddish AFRO.

Wow, I had school pictures the next day and all the club pictures I was in would have me in the AFRO.  The ridicule I experienced from the red afro was amazing and I had a choice, I could crawl in a corner and cry and get angry or I could laugh at it and through my laughter and happiness, people would not see the afro anymore or they would see something positive.  Guess what it worked.

My friends and all that knew me teased me for a day and then after that moved on to something else and forgot about the red headed orange afro, but saw me for who I was Christina, their friend and a smart, fun loving, caring, witty girl that didn't let this opportunity fail her but turned it around.

That is what I do everyday with my life.  I have many things that happen to me but I turn it around to gain from the things that happen.  We have so many choices in our lives and we can continue on the quest of seeing the bad or living and living in the present with who we are and what we have to offer.

There is nothing wrong with individuality and not succumbing to the cliques of the world but creating your own and loving you for who you are not what others believe you should be.  In some peoples eyes I may always be the orange reddish afro girl, but I made a mark because when they think of it they laugh and smile and it makes them remember the happy things they used to be and with that maybe, just maybe, a change is happening to them.