Ways I Learned

I think back about how I learned to do different things.  There were a lot of influences, but I guess my biggest ones were Mom and Daddy.   I learned so very much from these people about everything.
Cooking, sewing, baking, gardening, landscape, business, hard work, helping community, confidence, being frugal, being creative, being a decent person, etc.
My greatest lessons in life came from them.
I didn't really have grands to learn from.  I only had one grandparent growing up and she lived far away, so my parents were my huge influence.

However that was not the only learning in my life.  I took Home Economics in Junior High school and truly enjoyed that.  I don't know that I really leaned about cooking and sewing (as Momma had already taught me) but I did learn about working with others and encouraging others in life.  It was a fun experience.  There was also shop class, mechanics, wood working, and many other 'real world' classes that were available.  There was a vocational school that was available for afternoon classes - it was a different building - but credits counted for high school.  You could study just about anything there.

I took economics and learned a lot about finance.  I took typing and business and learned much about the working world.  I even took a blue print reading class (in conjunction with a job) at an adult night class.  I was working at a major building/hardware business at the time - and that was a way to expand my knowledge.
I did go to college (didn't finish - life happened) as well.  I studied education and sociology as I really wanted to work with at risk kids.  I learned so much from those classes about people and humanity.  I even took criminal justice classes.

Another neat learning institution for me was 4-H.  I don't think that 4-H is worldwide.  I know it is big in the U.S. and I believe Canada - not sure about other places.  I started in 4-H in the 3rd grade (the earliest I could) and participated through junior high/early high school.  I entered projects in sewing and baking each year.  I always did really well.  My greatest joy was the year we had to make angel food cakes - oh my did we eat a lot of cake that summer!  My big win was winning GRAND CHAMPION at the county level and getting to go to the state fair and display.  That was huge and everyone wanted to win a grand champion ribbon (only one given in each category per county).  More cakes baked until I made one that pleased me and off to the state fair and a blue ribbon there!  What a year that was.  That was my highlight in my 4-H journey!!!!

4-H was more than the projects to me.    It taught hard work, community, service, dedication, helping and so much more.  Those were some of the great lessons I got from it.  I still remember our motto and pledge.

I pledge

My Head to clearer thinking,

My Heart to greater loyalty,

My Hands to larger service, and

My Health to better living, for

My club, my community  and my country.

(Words we should all live by every day)

I lived in what would be considered the suburbs, so it wasn't just for kids in rural areas and still isn't.  I think youth today could learn so much from this organization.  Not only could you work on and display projects on just about anything, but you learned great lessons in life.  It is definitely a community for youngsters to learn and share ideas.  It teaches responsibility.

So many push for college educations and that is wonderful.  I just hope people today realize that there are so many other learning institutions that actually teach "life" and not academia.  There are many vocations today that a person can earn a great living and not need a college education.  There is nothing at all wrong with the trades!!!!!  College is not for everyone.

My husband worked for many years as a teen/young man with his uncle learning the plumbing trade.  It helped much in life in so many ways.  He then went on to work as an apprentice in auto mechanics and that became his career until he retired.  He could problem solve about anything and he was smart at so many things. 

I studied all kinds of things over the years.  First I will say that I hated math in school!!!!  

My first job was working for my parents at their lawn and garden business.  I learned so much there.  People skills, business, landscaping, gardening, horticulture, etc.

I went to work for the building service for a couple years in the office and then I went on to become an accounting specialist  for over 30 years!  I still find that hilarious.  I was really good at what I did, but had you told me in high that I would work with numbers I would have laughed my bum off.  Math is now a very strong suit of mine! (go figure)

We both had good careers in life and made decent money.  No college required.
My parents both completed schooling at the 8th grade.  They went on to have a very successful business of their own.  Daddy was a mathematical and word genius in my opinion.  He could do any math problem you gave him (in his head) and he know words and their meanings that I will never know.

I guess my point is, there are so many ways that we have learned over our lifetimes.  We have learned from so many people and experiences.  Some of those lessons were also lessons on what NOT to do!!!!!

Always look at every day and every adventure in life as the "school" of life.  Daddy used to ask "what did you learn today" (he asked every day!).  Today I still try to learn something new each day.  If we are not learning we are getting stagnant.  I want to keep my mind active and learning is never a bad thing.

What/who were some of your greatest TEACHERS in life?  Parents, grands, schools, experiences, etc. ???

LIVE TO LEARN and LEARN TO LIVE!