The Backstory: Part 2

So today is another post, not a letter.  I have one more question to address before I start posting letters again.  This one usually comes from people my family has known for a while, or other people in and around our community.  "Your parents aren't bad people...they aren't doing drugs, they're not alcoholics, and you girls are some of the nicest girls we know...so why your parents?"  Very, very good question.

I'll never forget the time Chrysta and I sat down with one of Lauren's social workers, and the woman said to us, "I'm so sorry you never had your own room.  I feel bad for you." What?! Seriously?! I'm not going to lie, that statement really shocked me, and still to this day I shake my head when I think of it.  I felt as if she was saying that just because I didn't have my own room, my life as a child must have been miserable and unbearable.  It was quite the opposite, though.  Sure, there were times when I didn't like my sisters or my parents, but every child goes through that.  It's not those times that matter later on when you're an adult and looking back on things; it's the times you laughed and made connections that mattered most.

So back to the question: why my parents? I still really don't know.  They were pretty good parents, and being their child, I think I can make that statement fairly.  They always pushed me to do my best, and my sisters, too.  They might have had a low income and couldn't always afford things like a new car or my college tuitioin, but they always made sure we were active in things like band, soccer, and Glee club.  We might not have gotten to go to the movies every week, but that was okay.  We found other ways to entertain ourselves, like writing plays and hanging out with the other kids in the neighborhood, both of which taught us how to be creative.  They took us to church to learn morals and values, and scolded us for getting bad grades or getting in trouble at school.  Because they always pushed me to do my best in school, I was able to go to college on scholarships and grants, graduating with no debt.  They were never high, never had drunken shambles, and never neglected us.  We were chubby kids, and definitely had plenty of clothes :)

So honestly, I don't know why this happened to my parents.  Obviously they left more of a positive than negative impact on me.  And the few negative things I do remember, I observed, took into consideration, and learned from them.

If you have anymore questions, feel free to email me at letterstolauren@yahoo.com, or post it as a comment below.