Born with an inquisitive mind, I was always the type of child that wanted to know why things were the way they were. I never felt bound by the conventions of others and allowed myself to see beyond what was right in front of me.
My mother was confounded by my endless questions about the nature of almost everything around me. Throwing her hands up in the air after the umpteenth query and simply saying "I don't know." This caused me to delve into the world of books and seek out other adults who may have held the answers or could point me in the right direction. Thus, my already curious mind was sharpened ever further.
So I never felt hemmed in by expectations because there was so much promise out there, if only we could see it. All of this caused me to grow up very differently than many of the other kids in the working-class neighborhood of my childhood. However, once in awhile, I'd run into another wandering soul that was just like me.
Seeing The Possible
We were young, but older than our years if that makes any sense. I think my thought process may have also been shaped by taking on adult responsibilities at a very young age. Either way, I never let my circumstances define the limits of what I could achieve. In my mind, every one and everything was beatable given enough knowledge, skills, effort and a little bit of luck.
I'd seen it done in those who eventually found success in life. They all seemed to follow the same path of repeated failure, which over time, taught them which mistakes to avoid. The key was that they refused to allow failure to break them, always refining their approach to the problem and being willing to make adjustments on the fly.
Another quality I observed in them is that they were almost all early to rise. These people weren't out partying all night. Instead, they were in bed while others were out drinking, and then were up at 3-4 AM ready to tackle the day. This gave them an advantage and a head-start on the others who slept in till later.
They were also like me, filled with a thirst for knowledge and willing to ask questions until they found the answers. I found in that way they tended to find each other on the same quest, and thus reinforced one another. In short; they were different and tended to stand out which made it much easier for me to find them.
The local park became my portable office, and I would sit near the adults and eventually, join in their conversations. I found many of them only too happy to oblige the curious 12-year-old who seemed interested in knowing how the world worked. Every Sunday after I was done tutoring kids, I'd head to my favorite bench with something to read and wait for people to enter and share their mental wealth.
Growing up poor didn't mean I had to be "poor of mind" but could tap the untold richness that existed all around me. Don't ever let anyone else limit or define your growth as a person. Keep going! :)
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