We lived in St.Albert when Gary started his compay in 1978, I was starting to get boy crazy, experimenting with drinking and I had finished grade nine with the police looking for me as I was celebrating at my grad party, as I had blown curfew and mom and dad were trying to teach me a lesson. I always had a little rebellious streak in me, however this was just the beginning!
I had been grounded for six months for blowing curfew, and all landline phones were taken out of the house for a while, and the only time I was allowed out of the house was to do an activity that was sports related...I became an avid rollerskater, swimmer, lawn darts, lawn bowling, you name it I played it so that I could get out and connect with my peeps!
It was around this time that mom and dad thought moving to the country may be timely in getting their teenage daughter away from a few bad influences, including an older boyfriend, they thought the clean country air would be a nice change for us all living in the City our whole lives, and country living would help curve any bad habits that might be forming. in their teenage daughter.
When we first went out to the spot Gary found for our family just East of Onoway, I thought I was playing a scene right out of Little House on the Prairie....We had to stay in a 800 square foot cabin for six weeks before our Log House was ready to move into. I had to wash my hair from a well that pumped cold water, and I had no patience to wait to heat it up so I would wash it every day in ice cold water, thinking my life was going to be a living hell, how will I survive this transition, that surely I was living in Ommish Country and that life as I knew it was definately over...Onoway?? On the way to where??
To the best party ever... lets just say that the small town that we moved to in 1982 was party central, full of teenagers, much wilder than me and it was insane..100 people attending these parties most Friday and Saturday nights ....I was in heaven! Mom and Dad not so much. We made it through, some days my parents I am sure were not too sure I would. At one point Mom had taken me to band camp where the band travelled across Canada, thinking this would be a good thing for me to join..Lets move her out of the province never mind the city, try and get me back to reality, I had already grown quite fond of Ommish Country and the thought of hanging out with 100- straight laced band students scared me to death!! When I think back then to the grief I gave them, of course I feel bad , have apologized many times over, I was selfish and had to have my way at the time...I always loved a good party!
Mom and Dad have long since forgiven me but their memory is so long they have not forgot, funny how that works, and as I share some of my frustrations with occasional teenage attitude and issues I run into, they don't appear overly empathetic, its like they have been waiting for these days to arrive ! Payback! Thinking back Band Camp was a really good idea, and I am already looking into for Joey and Tanner!
The rebellious streak, well that never really went away, I just tamed it a bit, and have always been headstrong, and if I believed in something or wanted to do something, I usually have always found a way to do it. Over the years I have learned to channel it towards positive decisions. Yes I have made mistakes, there is no doubt, and have learned something from all of them. We are on a certain path for a reason, this I do believe, and every experience leads us to to another path. It has been a broken road that has lead me to where I am today. I have no regrets. I had a 19 year partnership that created four wonderful children, I have a wonderful family, friends and the most amazing support group. I am blessed today with a wonderful partner that shares the same philosophies and goals that I do. Every change I have made has been for the right reasons, this illness has taught me so much, I will continue to learn, I will continue to change, I will continue to grow...
"Your thoughts and beliefs of the past have created this moment, and all the moments up to this moment. What you are now choosing to believe and think and say will create the next moment and the next day and the next month and the next year."
"You are not a helpless victim of your own thoughts, but rather a master of your own mind."
-Louise Hay
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