Growing Up Part 2: Forgotten Child: A Personal Account

WHEN I WAS BORN MY PARENTS GOT DIVORCED…I NEVER GOT A REASON LATER IN LIFE EVEN FROM MY OLDEST SISTER WHO I WAS VERY CLOSE WITH…ALL I GOT WAS IT WAS A STERN HOUSEHOLD TO LIVE IN…MY OLDER BROTHER BORE THE SCARS OF WHAT HE WENT THROUGH UNTIL HE DIED…BUT MY OLDEST SAID SISTER SPENT MANY YEARS WITH THE FATHER…HE WAS AN OFFICER IN THE AIR FORCE AND ACHIEVED A RANK OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL AND STATIONED IN GERMANY…ONE OUT OF 4 TO HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM IS HOW IT WORKED OUT…HOW THAT AFFECTED ME WAS LIKE THE FORGOTTEN CHILD…AS A BABY, A TODDLER, A GROWING CHILD, THE ADOLESCENCE…I HAVE NO MEMORIES OF MY MOTHER BEING A MOTHER AS THE OLDEST SIBLING MY SISTER SANDY TOOK CARE OF US ALL UNTIL I WAS 5 OR SO. MY MOTHER REMARRIED WITHIN A YEAR OF MY BIRTH WHICH WAS ACCORDING TO MY SIS (AGAIN) WAS THE LOVE OF HER LIFE…THEY HAD TWO CHILDREN RATHER QUICKLY AND THAT PUT ME IN THE FORGOTTEN CHILD ZONE FOR GOOD! MY SISTER DID HER BEST BUT BEING A YOUNG WOMAN HERSELF AND HAVING TO CARE OF 5 KIDS IS BEYOND ME…FOR THAT LOVE OF HER LIFE MAN WAS A HARD-CORE DRINKER AND SHE KEPT RIGHT UP WITH HIM. IT DID NOT TAKE LONG FOR THIS TO END IN DIVORCE ALSO AND MY MOTHER MOVED US TO AN APARTMENT THAT TURNED OUT TO BE SOME OF THE BEST YEARS FOR ALL OF US!