videos, empathy, and opportunity

The other night we were watching videos from the 90's, and I remain amazed.

Now that my daughter is 21 I have had many opportunities to test my theories in a practical environment. Summary findings: I would never treat anyone the way I was treated in my youth. The fact that there is a filmed record of those years is fantastic because it demonstrates that I wasn't crazy. I was just in a very bad situation.

Of course if I were a different sort of person I would go on about how those years taught me empathy or some shit like that. But honestly: poverty and cancer were more than enough, thank you very much. I didn't need the rest of it. The fact that I made it out alive is truly puzzling. The fact that I not only saved myself but thrived and prospered is a deep mystery.

Right now I am just hugely thankful that I was able to give my daughter a different life, and the opportunity to choose her own future.