My parent’s recipe for raising children was; zip them up,
give them a kiss, and push them out the door.
Whatever the weather, sunshine, rain, or snow, I was rolling in the
middle of it. Some may have called us
flower children or country kids, but we were kings of the forests, champion
tree climbers, locked away princesses, African explorers, and Antarctic
scientists.
I grew up in the rural town of Hyde
Park, on top of Mckinstry Hill. Our neighborhood consisted of a few scattered
houses, a plethora of blackberry bushes, and plenty of unknown woods for us to
discover. I learned from an early age
that in order to enjoy life you must experience it at every angle. We were taught our life lessons the hard
way. Some of my parents famous quotes
consisted of, "Yes Kathryn, if you climb that high it will hurt when you fall,"
or "Well now you know what poison ivy is."
They loved us, and let us live, I couldn’t have asked for anything more.
Now as I walk through my town I am greeted by almost every
neighbor with sincere pleasure. Growing
up in a place where knowing your neighbor is unintentionally required makes me
respect human interaction even more. The
personal connections made in small town life are something I truly cherish. As a result of my childhood I know that I am
a stronger person, mentally, and physically.
I have the confidence to want to succeed in life and live it to its
fullest.
My Vermont has
taught me that anyone with a passion can fulfill that passion with hard work
and dedication. And those values are
going to always stay with me.