Wow, what stories!!
When my parents were growing up they were very poor.
They came from very hard working families where everyone had to pitch in to put food on the table. My dad had to quit school in 6th grade to go to work. He is the oldest of 11 siblings. His dad, my G'pa was a very interesting man. He was a Shawnee Indian. He was a boxer and for a while made a living traveling with carnivals as the strong man... Inviting anyone and everyone at the carnival to take him on in the ring...you beat him, you win money. He never lost. Someone in Al Capones gang saw him and offered him a job. He moved to Chicago to work for Mr. Capone, and needless to say, he found trouble and spent some time in the pen. When he got out, my grandma gave him an ultimatum, come home now, or never come home. He went home and worked for the railroad until retirement.
Although my dad had a limited education, he has become a very accomplished businesss man. He worked all the time, and I didn't know my dad very well as a youth, we are now very close.
My two older brothers and sister did not go to college, in fact, no one in my entire family tree had ever been to college. I wanted to go to college, my dad didn't want any part if it "college is for rich spoiled kids" he would say. My mother took up my cause and they fought and fought and fought. What ya know, the next year I was in college, the first in my whole family. When I graduated my Dad was so proud, he just gushed with pride. It made me feel good. Now, my younger brother didn't have a choice...According to my dad, HE WAS GOING TO COLLEGE! My dad now has 3 grandchildren that have graduated college, 2 in college now and several more to come. Not to be outdone; my mom, after not working for 30 yrs, at the age of 50 she enrolled in college to get an Assoc. degree. She ended up getting her masters. She has now been a psycholist for 15 years. Kind of cool!
I met my wife in college, we will celebrate our 20th this year. She holds the fort down for 3 boys and a husband that still acts like he is 15. She is the nucleous of my family, and the boys and I love her the most!