Sunday, October 31, 2010

LOW WAGE JOB - How the mom did it

As young children, we are raised to dream; strive for a successful life; have a better life then what you were raised in; be wealthy; be happy. Unfortunately there are more people that do not achieve many of these life goals then there are that do become wealthy. There are more individuals that struggle day to day living pay check to pay check , working at the minimum wage then there are workers that receive an over sufficient wage. “Money can’t buy you happiness.” Though the fact that this quote may be honest to some extent, it sure as hell is not completely true. True money cannot buy you ultimate happiness in life but it sure can pay your bills; it sure can pay for the roof over your head; it sure can buy the food you put in your mouth; it sure can buy the food that you feed your hungry children; it sure can pay for your children’s education; it sure can pay for the electricity keeping you warm at night. True money can’t make you happy, but it sure as hell can help. To all these low wage workers it all comes down to working hard every day to survive and simply praying that this ticket, this gold ticket with random numbers, is the one lottery ticket that will win millions and will take away all your depts. A situation that makes the life of low wage workers much harder, much more stressful, and seemingly much more impossible is a family. This essay will follow the experience of young women trying to have a fresh new start with nothing but hope and a will. My mother came to this country at the age of 12, her first job was babysitting. This job gave her 40 dollars throughout the span of her whole summer. At the age of 17 she got a job working at a bank and into the work force she went. She handled the combination of work and education very well, if asked, anyone could have easily said that she had a bright successful. I am not saying that her life wasn’t fulfilled because it was; she had a family of a husband two gorgeous daughters and two handsome sons, I am not saying her life was unsuccessful because it was; she raised are her kids to the best of her abilities, so far has sent one to a university and hopefully sends another one, her story is a story of triumph and success over obstacles that may seem every day and must seem possible is so many people are making it out. But I want to see you go through it all before you speak up. At the time of high school graduation my mother had to choose between education or work. Well work seemed the most instantly required because the money was needed to help my grandmother pay for bills and food. Well my mother’s first real job was working at bank for the low wage of $1.69 an hour.

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