Got big hard wood

If you want big hard wood you have to do something to get it, it doesn't come for nothing, one must actively do something, think something, before one can rise to the occasion.

I grew up in a small rural town within the vast continent of Australia - proudly Australian born and raised - and feel blessed to have had the upbringing I did. My parents instilled values like integrity, honesty, honour, manners, courtesy and hard work in me. I had, from a very young age, an ethos that leaned towards reward for effort and that nothing came for free; something had to be exchanged for the things I received be it knowledge, money, creature comforts, health, respect and success; no matter the thing, it wouldn't simply fall down from the sky.

Armed with that understanding I moved into my life as a kid working towards my future. I read books, explored the world around me, failed and succeeded in equal measure, delved into my own thoughts, emotions and abilities and built the foundations of what would ultimately be the platform upon which my life is now constructed.

Part of that was working around the house from a young age; I'd help my parents with the vegetable gardening (we grew most of our own), fed and tended the chickens and other animals, worked in the fruit and nut tree orchard and in general around the property, cleaned the house, help do and peg out the washing, did the cooking and cleaning up after dinner and other things as well including my job of getting wood.

When I mean get wood, I mean firewood, I had to cut wood, which we would use in the fireplaces. That was part of the reward for effort ethos that was instilled in me from a young age...if wood was not cut there was no heat in the house and no heat meant...well, clearly it meant it would be cold.

I recall swinging a lot of axes from a young age but before that I was only permitted to use a small tree saw; prior to my tree saw duties I was on carrying detail and I'd go back and forth with a single chunk of wood or multiple depending on the weight from about the age of four or so. Eventually I was taught how to use a chainsaw, around nine years old, and I'd work for hours cutting piles of wood for the fire, stacking it to season for the next year and hauling wood inside each morning and night for the fire. It was hard work for a little fellow like me but I wasn't little for long and became a pretty strong lad due to that hard work. It didn't just develop muscles though, it developed a solid work ethic.

I'd complain now and then about the hard work I had to do while the other kids were playing, but as I got older I began to understand that it was not just about cutting wood to keep warm, tending the garden to grow food to eat...it was about building valuable skills that later in life helped me take on increasingly difficult tasks and responsibilities and have the ability to excel at them or fail, regroup and try again. It taught me ownership, responsibility and discipline, persistence and how to work hard and those were lessons that have stayed with me for life...and helped me have a successful, fulfilling and enjoyable one.

Doing hard things, working through difficulties, physical, emotional or mental hardships, isn't often pleasant and sometimes doesn't work out the way we'd like but with the right thoughts and attitudes one can push forward and find good outcomes. I was fortunate to have parents who gave me a solid grounding and allowed me to grow into my natural personality and ability applying valuable lessons along the way and I'm happy I persevered and became the man I am today...the legacy my parents and other influential role-models have left behind them.

What aspects of your own childhood have stuck with you and helped to shape the adult you have become? Do you feel grateful for hardships in your life and how they have impacted on you or do you feel they have hindered you? Feel free to comment.