Personal Childhood Web

Some of the people who nurtured and cared about me as a child

 

Godfather Ramos

                        Ramos was mostly a figure in my life as a child that was stable, laid-back, trustworthy and comforting. He was friend of the family and often him and his wife would invite me over to hang out and go special places with them. The memories I have are: feeling secure in sitting on his broad should watching cartoons, watching him work in the garage, being allowed to sit on his lap to steer the truck (we live where there are a lot of dirt roads), and traveling to fairs and pow-wows. He gave me the assurance that there are men and grandfather like figures that can be trusted. Mostly his voice and words were always funny, calming and without out judgment.

Mother

            She was a stable figure in my world in a midst of chaos. I always new that I was loved, cherished, and looked up to. I remember a lot of laughter between us. I also new that she would always make sure that I had “nice” clothes, shelter, love and food. The most everlasting influence was no matter where or when if we departed even for a brief period of time she always verbally said that she loved me, with a kiss. And what our relationship has been up to now is filled with much more learning and growth.

Father

            He was another stable and reliable figure in my life, no matter what the distance between us may be. The childhood memories that are most prominent are cuddling together in the big recliner, hanging out watching movies, hugging his round belly, him hardly ever say “no” to me!, and taking me to amusement parks, shopping, and national tourist spots. He could have been easily labeled as “the Disneyland Dad”, but he wasn’t. I mostly felt from him the joy of spending time with me, the confusion of making the right decisions for me, and the pain he felt when I left him after a visit. I also admired and was inspired by all his books and music, and the big law school he attended with the huge library and the yummy peanut store across that street. He taught me patience. A saying he always said (with a chuckle) when we were driving was “The worst that can happen is we get lost”. This saying has stayed with me literally and metaphorically, because with my dad it was always the journey not the destination and still is.

Cousin Kathe

            I attribute all my yearnings for growth, knowledge, and exploration to her. She spent so much time in showing me the world. A world on the map, a world of books, a world of culture, a world of family history, a world of paintings, a world of museums, and exposure to languages, instrument, and the importance of education. This created a large foundation in my successes.