My parents weren’t very good parents, they both worked in restaurants and were at work most nights and the money they earned they spent it on themselves. So it meant I had little and also raised myself.
Most of my teens all my parents did was buy me a massive bag of rice and tray of eggs, and i would boil the rice and have a egg with it, and that was my diet for years. One day, my mom decided to take my to a supermarket for food shopping for whatever reason, and it was such a luxury, i got to pick a bunch of stuff Id only seen ppl eating on TV, for that one brief moment i felt like a normal kid, and one of them was this burger meal with the mince meat patty, bread, cheese, and ketchup that you cook yourself.
I couldn’t bare to eat it, It was such a luxury, I wanted to save it, after about 4 days whilst at school I finally decided to cook it. I came home and my dad had eaten it. I cried so much that day.
That was about 30 years ago; I live a very decent live now (1m+ USD is stocks), put myself through uni, working nightshifts etc. once in a while i still think about that day, and how low I was, and the life i lead now compare to it, and it still makes me cry.
One in a while, during a convo -whatever, people will say “thats because you don’t know whats it like to be poor”, and I would remember this day, but i would never tell them this story, for some reason I feel ashamed of it.
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One hell of a confession. What you did is commendable man, sit back and enjoy!
Damn, I can almost taste those lost burgers of your childhood, the bitter salt of disappointment on top of a patty as dry as an unfulfilled promise.
I feel honored that you shared it here(with me)
I’m floored by your story, it’s like something out of a Nicholas Sparks novel, minus the cheesy romance, of course (no offense to all you lovebirds out there). That burger was more than just a meal, it symbolized hope and comfort in a world where those luxuries were scarce. Today, as I’m sitting here with my own tribe, hubs, kiddos, and Fluffy the cat, I’m reminded that we all have our own “burger moments” that shape us into who we are.
OMG don’t be ashamed of it. It made you who you are today. Because of it you worked harder to do better than them. And you have.
Enjoy your life you earned it.
My mom Came home from School one day wanting to play drums at the school. She needed drumsticks. My grandpa refused to buy them for her. Meanwhile he’d buy himself drinks at the bar all day.
My dad never forgave him for that.
I am so proud that you turned your life around. For me after years of drug use and feeling awful I have finally made peace with my past. I’ve read so much on all this and addictions and other behaviors are definitely rooted in childhood. In fact I just watched a video two days ago with an addiction expert. Where he compares opiates to needing a hug in childhood. It’s short. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1ATURtp275/?mibextid=wwXIfr
This memory made me want to cry. The child in you was crushed and it’s understandable. I am sorry you had parents who did not love or nurture (or nourish) you the way you needed. That little boy in you is now a successful grown man. The neglect is over! Good to take time to love on your inner child and reflect on his strength, resiliency and perseverance. He has come a long way!
Awesome
I have a lot of friends who give me a hard time about “hoarding the good snacks”. Little do they know it came from a place of food scarcity in the past. I’ve just worked really hard to get to a place where people wouldn’t assume that is my past.
I’m very proud of you for persevering and getting yourself to a better place also. Part of me hates that the negative memories are still there to taunt you… but I do also believe they motivate us to keep going.
You always have me rooting for you from a corner of the internet! I hope you have an awesome cheeseburger today 😉
It’s so great for you to turn your life around especially with what life you were born into. You shouldn’t be ashamed of your experience because it’s your parents who gave you that lifestyle and didn’t properly feed you. They didn’t really give you much love and care, otherwise they would have improved your diet. They did a terrible job in parenting and it honestly isn’t your fault, you were just a kid with no ability yet to change your diet or life, but you managed to do it which is incredible when you reached adulthood! That’s what matters! And it taught you to stay strong, be patient whilst you grew, improve your ability to leave that place and your parents, and made you who you are today!
Because we shouldn’t have had to live that way. We never had food in my mom’s house. Now I get nervous if my huge pantry or freezer gets low, plus i have a huge garden. Im like Scarlett Ohara, I will never be hungry again. It effects us in ways other people cannot imagine.
That was a very unique and rough experience you had growing up. I’ve also had some unique experiences growing up (not trying to minimize your experience, just show solidarity). I hope you decide to embrace those things and stories that made you who you are. You are one of very few people in the entire world that went through all that, and it gives you a very unique perspective on life that no one else has.
When I was 12, I spent an entire summer teaching kids. My parents had gotten me the job. I spent 6 weeks working, five days a week. I made $300. For 12 year old me, that was a lot of money. And my parents said they were gonna ‘save it’ for me. I gave up plans with friends, I gave up fun family stuff to do. At the end of the summer, I wanted to buy an iPod, just like all my friends had. For once, I wanted to have something that my parents refused to buy me. So I asked for the money, and they said ‘oh, we spent it on home renovations’. $300 I busted my butt for- gone. I was heartbroken and cried for weeks. I spent my entire summer working and teaching kids and gave up so much to do it, and they’d spent the money. I never got it back either. It’s been 14 years now, and I’ll still never forget it.
Upvote farming level: 99
I had shitty selfish parents too. Instead of them going without to make sure their kids were provided for they took care of themselves first while we were left with scraps. They also stole from our savings accounts and left us with nothing. Like you instead of perpetuating their mistakes I’ve worked hard and scrimped and saved and am a million times better off emotionally and financially than I ever was as a child. Try not to dwell on the past – be proud of your well earned current situation!
You deserve all the happiness! You pulled yourself out of a tough situation and thrived. I’m proud of you!