Luisa Lawrence:  

stretch, but we had quite a bit of fun because we actually went outside every day and played games requiring human interaction, we learned how to make our own fun, Christmas and Birthday presents were not fancy or electronic but they were fine and most of the kids we knew were getting about the same amount of stuff. Clothes were not designer, and sometimes they may have come from your older sibling or even the thrift shop. We didn't get take out or go out to eat that much, not even for pizza which was usually frozen and heated up at home. Somehow, even with this level of "deprivation" we managed to do all right. I know in Junior High when I went to school with kids ( the haves) from an "old money" area of town there was definitely a discrepancy between what was considered "in" and what we (the have less or have nots) could afford but you learn a lot from not always being on the cutting edge of fashion and not being able to afford everything. Good life lessons and lessons in humility that will stand you in good stead come from these experiences. Being an Army brat meant I was rich in experiences that traveling brings, and being a lover of books, in reading books from the library, as the poem goes, "there is no frigate like a book...". Readers live many lives and always have an inexpensive source of entertainment. I had some great teachers at my 10 different schools, some who taught me great songs I can still sing, some who expanded my world by showing me things they loved or teaching us about art, drama, athletics, literature, the humanities, and so much more. I learned from my friends, Donna in 5th grade taught me how to "whistle like a dude" with two fingers and loud, Mary in 6th gave me someone who I wanted to compete against in track and for the Presidential Fitness Award, my family, friends, and even some significant others have all contributed to my life and it's all about living and continuing to learn that makes life so interesting.