Settled before thirty.

He was raised by a single mom who had to juggle two to three jobs in order to make ends meet. He has a younger sister. It was, and still is, just the three of them in life. It was probably seeing the sacrifices that his mom made that drove him to really study hard in order to get a scholarship in college. He chose to become a teacher.

accomplishedHe graduated a year early. He took the board exams and passed it. He then began teaching in his alma mater while getting his masters. Then, his doctorate degree. He passed each one with flying colors. While getting all those degrees, teaching, and even writing school textbooks, he also worked on getting a house of his own. And he did, you know. He did plus he got a car which he used for Uber, part-time.

He did all that before he turned thirty years old. Wow. To say that I am envious and extremely proud of my cousin is an understatement!

When I was in my twenties, I was struggling to make ends meet. I was sending my siblings to school while trying to work my butt off paying off bills. My mom was sick that time and my dad was focused on her hospital bills and medication. I was minding my siblings, food on the table, household bills, and even the washer repair. My mind was close to exploding during that decade of my life. I am just so glad that I was able to make it. Looking back, I knew that I became stronger because of that decade. When I am being asked about dishwasher repair, I now answer with a smile and would even help finding one online. Whereas in my twenties, if you asked me about anything related to household stuff, I would give an earful. That’s for sure. I was that stressed out and I didn’t want to hear any problems or issues or worries related to home.

When I look at my cousin, my heart swells with pride. It was also my plan to become settled early on in life. I had grand plans for when I turned thirty. Financially stable, with a good job, but also with a back-up business for a side hustle. But all that went down the drain when, first, my brother got sick with leukemia, and then, my mom got sick with a rare kidney disease. I couldn’t turn my back on my siblings. I wanted them all with a bachelor’s degree to their name. I am proud to say that even though settling is still far from sight, I was able to send my siblings to college. And, yes, they all got their bachelor’s degree, and license as well!

Soon, I will be able to settle in my own home. With enough money in the bank to support my travel plans and a good side hustle, too. I can’t wait for that day to happen. I hope, soon!

You may also like