Five-Minute Friday: Belong

As a preacher's kid, I often felt the odd-person out. No matter what I did around most of my peers, it was wrong.  Either I was a goodie-two-shoes/angelor the comment would be: "I can't believe a preacher's kid did that!" making me feel terrible on many levels.

I was comfortable with adults and could walk the walk and talk the talk of the perfect preacher's daughter, which always went over well. It wasn't just a facade--I liked being a decent person and I liked that adults liked me.

I didn't get my first real girlfriend until I was 9. It was Dad's 3rd appointment and my first success with peers (granted the first appointment I was ages 1 - 3.)

Eventually I married (age 19 --too early) and went from the fish bowl of a minister's life to a bigger fishbowl of a successful business family. His parents liked me, but again I had problem with couples. The ones in which he liked the males, I was a bit off-beat with the wives with the exception of one who became my best friend for 15 years. But even she did not understand why I wanted to have my own career(teaching) and why I was not content  to stay at home and leave work outside the home to others.  She desperately wanted to be able to stay home, but could not.  I desperately wanted to finish my college education and teach, but could not. (I have since done both.)

I will have been married 16 years next Friday to my high school sweetheart. We are very happy. I have made friends on my own. I just turned 60 and I finally feel like I belong right where I am.

This represents my eclectic life.

For more on the topic of belong go on over Lisa-Jo's friend's place. 

Crystal is hosting this week.