Last year, in 2014, my hubby began a new job at Coast Capital Savings, a credit union.
He is a project manager and he loves his new position. He was hired full time last October.
Coast Capital celebrates pink shirt day. To see my hubby wearing a pink shirt is quite a sight!
This is supposed to bring awareness of bullying and stamp it out, especially in schools.
Of course, I realize this can only be done with a complete change of heart.
Pink will not stop any bully that I know of.
I had my fair share of bullying in elementary school, and it continued into high school.
This was mostly due to my lack of fashion sense, as my parents couldn't afford to buy us the latest fashions so I wore hand me down clothes from cousins and from the thrift shop.
My parents never took us to the hair salon, so our hair styles were quite different from the rest of the school gang. Therefore I was picked on quite a bit, enough to make me go home in tears.
In high school I took my stand as a Christian young woman and refused to wear slacks/pants. I felt a young woman should look like one, and I wore skirts and dresses to HS. Oh my goodness. I was the only one in my grade who did that. There was an older girl two grades above me who also did it. I was teased unmercifully. I must have looked like a sore thumb indeed, but looking back to this time in my life, I'm glad I stood my ground, and didn't back down because of unkind words.
You will probably laugh at the thought, but in each generation there are things which come to the forefront and you have to decide how you will live your own life. In the 1970's the wearing of slacks/pants was a HUGE issue, as up until 1970 it was mandatory for all girls to wear dresses or skirts to school. Now I've changed my mind, as pants are totally accepted for girls and women to wear, and I think they are more modest than skimpy skirts! Plus they are a whole lot warmer in the winter months.
It's very important to stand up for what you believe in. You don't have to rant, rave, or argue the subject, just stick to your guns. I'm thankful I had supportive parents and a loving home to go to at the end of each school day. Grade 8 and 9 were rough years, but I believe they shaped my character and made me strong. The joy of the Lord was my strength too, and I was deeply involved in a lovely Baptist church from 1970 - 1976, which helped in my personal growth. I was saved while attending that church and learned how to study the Bible and memorize scripture.
In Grade 10 I found new friends and developed a core group and the bullies left me alone after that. I also developed my artistic talents and became known as an artist, rather than a weird person without fashion sense. I learned how to sew, and made a lot of my own clothes.
I will never forget the difficult times, but the good times outweigh them all, and I remember my HS years with extreme fondness.
On another subject, I believe I'm still very weird.
I love to collect dolls and doll props like this Our Generation camper, sold at Target.
Target stores arrived in Canada only 2 years ago. The Metrotown location opened in Dec 2013.
I've never cared for it as it has high prices compared to Walmart and Superstore.
We are on a tight budget as Robert's new job is quite a bit less than what he made in his own company years ago. So I use money I've earned by sewing, writing or doing surveys in order to feed and nurture my doll habits. Tee hee...
I bought this camper at the Target store, on sale for only $52 Cdn!
It's the cutest thing ever. My dream was always to own or rent a camper like this and travel across Canada to PEI. It will never come true, so I've settled for Grace having her own dreams.
I bought the Timbits carton (Christmas ornament) last Dec at Tim Horton's.
Another of my hobbies is playing around in photo programs and editing the pictures I love to take.
Isn't this neat?
I always say, a person cannot get bored!
Loretta Houben
1 comment:
Loretta, I loved reading about your growing up years. I too was bullied through my school years. My parents were always on the move so I was always the new kid at every school I attended which were a lot of schools for my short nine years of education. I was also overweight as a child which made for a lot of jokes from mean kids. I was a little weird too, I still carried my "Little Miss" lunch box in 7th grade and got a lot of teasing from that. I think that camper is the cutest thing, and Grace looks mighty happy with it. I received your card, and I am in the process of writing you a letter now. Thank you for being such a good friend. After all, us weird O's have to stick together hehe.....
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