There are very many people who take life for granted. As an individual who has heard stories of defeat and pain for my grandparents, I am glad to say that these people have molded my life into something many people don’t have. I have learned from them that life is short and that you have to live every moment to the fullest. They both lived in Latvia when the war was going on and were sent to the German work camps where they had to leave everything behind. They were not allowed to have options or make decision for themselves. They had to go through things such as having a baby but not given the proper medical treatment that he unfortunately passed away only days after my grandma gave birth.
My grandparents were fortunate enough to be able to come to America. They found a farmer in southern Minnesota who sponsored them; he paid for their costs to travel to America and my grandparents repaid him by working for his farm for several years. After that, they moved to St. Paul and were able to find low paying jobs that gave them enough money to live a comfortable life. My grandpa was able to work as a diesel truck mechanic, with skills he learned in Latvia, and my grandma was able to find positions as assistants and secretaries at local businesses.
They have brought out an attitude that you don’t see in all people. You see a love for life. They have come from a place with no freedom and limited choices to a place where mostly anyone is able to do as they choose. I am able to look at them and change my own attitude to be as theirs. They don’t look down on the bad times, only because they know that many more good times will come in the future. They are optimistic and have changed the way every person in my family thinks about situations. My family has always seen the cup as half full instead of half empty.
My grandparents were fortunate enough to be able to come to America. They found a farmer in southern Minnesota who sponsored them; he paid for their costs to travel to America and my grandparents repaid him by working for his farm for several years. After that, they moved to St. Paul and were able to find low paying jobs that gave them enough money to live a comfortable life. My grandpa was able to work as a diesel truck mechanic, with skills he learned in Latvia, and my grandma was able to find positions as assistants and secretaries at local businesses.
They have brought out an attitude that you don’t see in all people. You see a love for life. They have come from a place with no freedom and limited choices to a place where mostly anyone is able to do as they choose. I am able to look at them and change my own attitude to be as theirs. They don’t look down on the bad times, only because they know that many more good times will come in the future. They are optimistic and have changed the way every person in my family thinks about situations. My family has always seen the cup as half full instead of half empty.
Being able to have a connection to people who have known some of the worst times in our world is a very powerful motivation to change ones' self. It gives us an idea of just how good we have life in a society where choice and freedom are available, and hard work is rewarded accordingly.
ReplyDeleteIt's always refreshing to have an optimistic view of life, even after experiencing rough times, and can send a very powerful message of change to family and friends.