Do you ever have those moments of inspiration where you have a realization and you don't really understand why it's so important or what made you think of it, but you know that it's a core part of who you are? I had one of those moments in the birthplace of all inspiration, the shower. I was thinking about my life and trying to identify the things that (among all of the chaos and change) have stayed consistent throughout these 19 years. The answer was obvious: community. Throughout my life I have always had a solid network of people who I can turn to. I realized that I value community above most things. I recently took a survey for extra credit and one of the questions was "how often do you feel totally alone?" In that moment I was able to fully appreciate how lucky I was to be able to check the box labeled "never". I suppose that since this inspiration hit me a week before a certain holiday, this post could be considered a nod to Thanksgiving.
Being homeschooled, many people assume that I lived the first 14 years of my life in total isolation. Obviously homeschooling is just another word for house arrest *sarcasm*. I remember a particularly strange conversation I had with one girl who had never met a homeschooler before. When I told her that I was one of those exotic homeschooled creatures, she looked at me with shock and asked in an quietly awed voice, "Really? What did you do?" I explained to her that not all homeschoolers have been banished from society because of their violent ways, some of us choose to do so because we want to take control over our own education. Anyhow, my point is that I can say from experience that being homeschooled does not limit your chances of having a community. I would argue that being homeschooled is the foundation that my community values rest on. I grew up with at least 7 mothers, 20 siblings and a few fathers thrown into the mix. The days that most children spent playing with their classmates, I spent camping with kids of all ages and parents who all took equal responsibility for my well being. When I left for college I had 3 mother figures texting me every night to make sure everything was okay and that I knew I was loved. I knew exactly what mother to turn to for specific needs. If I needed comfort and a hot chocolate with vanilla ice cream and a candy cane stirrer, there was one mom. If I needed a dose of reality and an honest opinion, there was another. My boyfriend and I have spent many hours talking about the importance of having a community. In his case, he is able to drive a block away and see an aunt, an uncle, or a grandparent. Because the members of my family are traitors (cough cough Erin, Patrick, and Katie Young), I do not have this option. I was talking to my sister recently about how we dream of a time when our nomadic siblings will settle down near each other so that we too can have this community. However in the mean time, my honorary family has done a splendid job of providing me with a community to rely on. To bring this (slightly scattered) post full circle, I will conclude by saying that as Thanksgiving approaches, I've been taking time to feel grateful for my particular blessings. I'm grateful for all those people who have helped to raise me, to show me what it means to be genuine, and who have stood beside me throughout the chaotic adventure of life. So... thank you :)
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AuthorHey, it's Kerry:) I have 2 older sisters and they both started a blogs... so naturally (being the little sister) I joined the bandwagon. So here I am! I hope you enjoy, if not... well go find something else to do. :) Archives
June 2018
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