I found out that my dad has only read one book in his entire life. By saying this, I mean reading a book all the way through. Incidentally, the book was All the President's Men. He has read sections or parts of many books, and otherwise basically cliff-noted his way through college. This both astounds me and humors me.
What mold did I come from? Clearly my reading habits are not a family trait. And if you think perhaps I should look to my mom's side of the family tree, well, let me just say I wouldn't be surprised if her "reading track record" actually "beat" my dad's. They may be two peas in a pod, but I am either no pea or in no such pod.
On many levels, it appears that I am diametrically opposed in myriad ways from my family (excluding my sister, who shares much more in common with me). I don't talk like my parents (I was raised in Yankee territory), I don't have a simliar palate as my parents (once I ate Chinese there was no turning back), I don't have the same religious practices and views as my parents (for all intents and purposes they seem to be simple non-practicing American moral-based Christians, whereas I am a practicing Spirit-led follower of Jesus Christ), I don't have similiar vocational dreams or goals (theirs seem summed up best by big house, 2.5 kids, white picket fence in the suburbs, which also must come with a healthy paycheck),... etc. The list could go on and on...
There is a wonder to this... First, what traits are family traits? Second, what did shape my interests as I grew up?
Of course there are the mere biological qualities: I'm short like my mom, blood type like mom... But I also notice that things like mannerisms and gestures are similar to my parents. This makes sense given the fact that I was around my parents growing up more than anyone else. After this, I sort of hit a wall. How can I separate what in me has been molded by my family from, say, being an American citizen, having lived in prosperity, having been surrounded by a suburbia setting, or receiving a public school education? (Just to name a few environmental factors.) Then, what about the non-environmental factors? Am I just a product of circumstances, or is there more of a "core" that is me? (Don't worry; I'm not having an identity crisis... it's curiosity more than anything else.)
by love.
Friday, March 03, 2006
not a family trait
Posted by Kristi at 2:49 PM
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4 comments:
first off... I was going to say you wanted "neither... nor" in that one sentence... but it looks like you wanted to say what you said, either you are not a pea, or you are not in the pod.. cool
second, My dad doesn't read much. He reads a few books about being a student center director, read: long boring books. But he cannot read very quickly, so he never reads for fun. My mom also doesn't read much when it comes down to it. She is more active than anything else. She reads a lot, but not deeply. And she rarely has time to read a book.
I don't know why I just wrote that, but I will leave it because it is there and I'm too lazy to delete it.
One thing to remember in your "search for identity" :-P is that you have died and received a new life, and I think that will be the source of changes, even those that may usually be termed "secular."
Uh, wait a sec, I thought mom and I shared blood type and you and dad did. Because you and mom are both left-handed and dad and I are both right-handed so I always remembered blood types as opposite. Hm.
With thinkings like this, you should have been a psychology/theology double major. That would have given you a great excuse to write tons of essays on identity and nature vs. nurture and carnal vs. spiritual natures...
uh, yea, I think you're right about the blood type... I wasn't 100% sure when I typed that. It was always us "universal donors" with O+ blood that donated wayyyy more than you and Mom ever could or would. :)
If I had gone to a traditional college, maybe I could've done the double major psych/theo route... however, I hate to break it to you, but psychology [theory and practice] drives me crazy. :P heh.
I'm just a Renaissance woman. :)
As you ought to be.
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