From as young as I can remember I dreamed of being a mother. As the eldest child in our family I embraced the role of protective big sister to my two younger sisters and brother. My dreams for my life were traditional and uncomplicated. I would become a nurse like my mom and then a wife and mother. I was not a natural student and did not enjoy school. As a shy and quiet teenager …
My story begins in 1939, on the gently rolling plains of Minnesota, USA. My parents, were both children of European immigrants, my mother was German and my father, Swedish. My father was a farmer and my four older siblings and I learned from an early age how to be useful around the farm; collecting eggs, feeding pigs, milking cows, helping out in the corn field. I was a shy child, reluctant to speak to strangers …
My grandfather was a successful businessman and my father continued his legacy. As far as material possessions were concerned our family had it all, expensive homes, the latest European cars, designer clothes, jewelry and the latest and greatest toys. From the outside it looked like I had the perfect life, but behind the walls of our beautiful home it was a totally different story. Our family was in chaos. My parents were addicts. Both my …
My earliest memories involve fear. My home life was unstable at best; at its’ worst, it was violent and terrifying. My parent’s relationship was defined by threats, shouting, anger and arguments. Their marriage eventually ended when I was only eight years old but my view of love and family was already scarred by things that no child should ever have to see, hear or experience. For the next few years, my relationship with my dad …
Growing up I never really understood the value of Mother’s Day, Father’s Day or Valentine’s Day. When I asked my friends why they celebrated these occasions, their answers always related to wanting to honour their family. But what if you don’t feel like your family is worth celebrating? My two siblings and I grew up in a home that was defined by abuse; abuse of alcohol, drugs, trust and responsibility. Both of my parents spent …
