Graf #4

I am 5 ft 10inches tall I have long blondish red hair to middle of my back and am so pale that most of my skin is fairly translucent and allows you full access to viewing the vast majority of my circulatory system. Curly is not even strong enough a word to accurately describe my hair; I have ringlet curls to mid back just above my derriere that take on a life of their own. They stick up her there and tangle among each other making friends. They curl around my arms and tangle me in their grasp trying to cut off the circulation to my limbs. I have so much hair that it sheds everywhere and I’m often compared to having a pet. I have done battle with them many a time in high school tried to iron them with a real iron which results in 10 minutes before they spring back to life with a vengeance and frizz. I tried a professional grade straightening iron and in about 20 minutes they regain their original form and are pissed and dry for days and will frizz to seek their revenge. I have pale blue eyes the color of windshield washer fluid that has been slightly watered down. I have freckles on top of my freckles here and there but they make good camouflage for some of the blood vessels in my system. I don’t think these things make me unique but these physical characteristics are definitely linked to my Irish heritage. My grandparents at the ages of 7 and 9 respectively and separately immigrated to the U.S. with their folks in 1918- at age 3 and 5 and their values and heritage influence many aspects of who I am and the most obvious being my physical characteristics.

I spent the majority of my growing up years with my folks and my grandparents until I set out on my own at age 18. My family is very large and all the aunts, uncles, cousins, and such are bound by their strong heritage and strict Catholic upbringing. These are people of small means, strong beliefs, extreme hard work and their rewards are measured in the health and multitude of their families. Ah to be the only girl in a sea of all boys .In addition to being the only girl I’m the only child without a biblical name and my aunt used to whisper they knew I was trouble right from the get go because of my name. I have all male cousins and all brothers and am the only girl at all which that does make me very unique. For me it was a burden that carried the weight of expectations that went out of style with June Clever. What makes me unique?...Lucy my grandma had been known to say is my crazy notions of education and dreams that pulled me in directions that led away from the island, family and home. When I married at the age of 22 in college still young by modern day standards but according to my family I was well into my old maid years. I think they only thing they liked about me being is college is the hope that I may find a husband. The idea that I went to work while my husband finished college was when they wanted my head examined as I should be home being a wife and he should have been working. The fact that I had no children and after over a year of marriage was asked in hushed voices why wasn’t I in the family way. Lord knows they don’t use the word pregnant because that is practically a swear word and improper in there eyes. Female relatives asked in hushed voices if there was a problem and steamrolled me with remedies for a cure right up to and including wanting to march me off the physician to be sure I was in proper working order.

What makes me unique is to courage go my own way. I’m a non practicing Catholic and the first person in my family or extended family to ever get a divorce in 3 generations. I have grown into my self confidence which was lost for a while as it was on a hiatus I can easily stand up for myself especially when I’m facing an epic storm. I have developed impenetrable skin of leather. My uniqueness is my strength of soul. My grit that I use to force myself to my feet regardless of how many times I’m knocked to the mat on the floor of the ring and rise again for one more round. The fact that I continue to go into the ring each day knowing I might fall makes me unique I’d like to think when the Irish eyes of my grandpa and grandma gleam down on me from heaven they will see that I am a strong and courageous woman and that too was learned from watching them.