Chapter 2
Early life is about, well you guessed it my early life. What can I say looking back at where I was and where I am now? From where I was when my journey really started at six years old than 18 when I graduated high school to now at 29. Looking back, it looks like three different stories or chapters in my book. Actually, it is three different stories and chapters in my book of life.
When I was younger I always envisioned I was going to do something special and unique with my life, I just never knew what that was. I always had an imagination and loved dreaming and looking into the future but what I saw when I was dreaming and trying to picture what might happen to me. Where I am now, I never saw coming and never pictured it.
Swimming Up Stream
Growing up I was always my worst enemy and biggest bully. From a young age, I was already swimming upstream and swimming against the current which made my situation that much harder. Now with my LD and dyslexia that added an extra 50-pound weight vest to me.
Swimming upstream is hard enough. Swimming upstream with an extra 50 pounds is even harder. Now I had all of this going against me and I was struggling. I started getting older and moving up to 4th, 5th, 6th and so on. But my actual grade level was always a couple of grade levels behind. I was slow with reading, I couldn’t spell, I struggled to listen, I took speech class I had trouble with my R and S words. To this day I still have some trouble with this.
The Big Day
I wasn’t a smart kid, I didn’t try that hard, honestly, I didn’t really care. I probably would have flunked out if I didn’t get help from my parents and teachers all those years.
All my life I was focused on one thing and one thing only. Graduating and getting that stupid piece of paper saying I made it in life. Once I got that piece of paper then I was ready for the real work and excited for what’s next.
Peter Alexander Harrower, I walked up and ready to receive my diploma as I was standing up there in front of everyone a few things crossed my mind. First, CRAP, theirs a lot of people out there. Second, just give me my piece of paper so I can leave. Third, when they dismiss us I wanted to leave right away, I felt so uncomfortable. I was trying to be excited like everyone else but I was faking it. They were excited about graduating and being done with school and ready for the next thing. Me on the other hand, there was no next thing for me. I was just excited to leave graduation.
Who Am I
At that moment I felt like a loser and a bum. I didn’t know what was next for me or if there was even anything for me. How am I going to get a good job and have a life with my grades and no college degree? How can I take care of my family one day? I started thinking about my future family and how I could provide for them. Then I quickly realized what am I doing? I’m not going to have a future family, who would ever want to marry me?
I started thinking about everything that was wrong with me. There was no pro and cons list, it was straight, con and cons list. I was already down and lost and confused, now I was kicking myself, even more, when I was done and treating myself like crap. I was lost and confused and searching for something, anything at that time.
New Me
I’ll be honest I’m still searching and still determined and working as hard as I can every day. Getting up at 5:15 am so I can get more reading and writing in and trying to get better. Now I finally feel like I’m living. I’m married and have been for over seven months now. I’m a published author and I did it myself. It took over four years but I did it. My top two goals that I always thought would just be a dream came true. I’m now a married author and checked off my top two goals in my life. Next, all I need is a kid and those will be my top three goals. SLOW DOWN, that kid thing won’t be for a while.
In the end, I just want to let you know. It doesn’t matter where you were in your life or where you came from. If you’re determined enough and willing to put in the work and give it your very best then you can have a great life. That great life is different for all of us. A successful career, money, happiness, freedom it might be different for all of us. The most important thing you have to remember is if its important to you then you have to work for it. You might have to give up some things and sacrifice some things along the way but it will be totally worth it if you have a clear-cut goal.
Keep Growing
Once you stop learning you start dying – Albert Einstein
Now I challenge you to stop using your past as an excuse. Embrace it like I have and make the most of it. My past made me who I am today. My past gave me the determination to work harder and make up for the time I lost. Now I want to make the most of the time I have now, because who knows when my timecard will get punched and it’s my time.
If you liked this post, check out my book. You will find out a lot more about me and my crazy story. If you did read it and liked it. I would love if you could share it with a friend that might need to hear it. Leave a review on Amazon, I would love to hear what you thought, thanks.
The World Through My Dyslexic Eyes