“Love the life you have while you create the life of your dreams” – Hal Elrod
Breadwinners are basically the provider, those who support and help the family to pay the bills, provide food, be able to send the younger sisters/brothers to school and provide other needs. The responsibility is hard, frustrating at times and exhausting, not to mention the overwhelming pressure of expectations from the family.
I will not talk about the unfairness between the parents and children relationships and whose responsibility it should be, otherwise this will be a 1000 pages book.
Born in a lower class family, I learned at a young age that I have to work hard and get my life straight to have a good future for me and for my family. At a young age, I knew I cannot mess up to be able to help my family and I knew that they are counting on me. I did not mind the pressure of responsibility at all when I was studying from elementary until college, as long as I pass the grade it should be okay right?
The realization sunk into me when I graduated. First is the pressure of getting a job as soon as possible, getting a job that pays well, getting a job that has a lot of opportunity and getting a job in a company that is well known. I mean the list can go on and on just for getting a job! =_=
Then the salary, every month is a struggle how to make ends meet that saving up is out of the question. Every month is a challenge on how to save up so you can do something you want for yourself like going out with friends, taking vacation or simply to buy your favorite food. Every month you re-plan and re-plan your budgeting because there are some unexpected needs comes up. Every month of what famous writer Robert Kiyosaki called a “Rat Race”.
It’s been a roller coaster of feelings for me having done that for the first couple of years being an average person with no exceptional gifts and talents. I’m not like those genius person who are so good at what they do, so it is harder for me. Those years teach me a lot. From handling disappointments, understanding responsibilities and making sacrifices like taking aside my wants and happiness for the family.
At the end of it, I can say being the breadwinner force me become a better person every day for them. I should be thankful for having the responsibility; it makes me really tough, makes me push myself to work harder, to learn to never give up cause quitting is not a choice. It gives me perception and understanding in life and family, given me conviction that hard work and perseverance will reap rewards. It makes me more focus on my goals and dreams and keeps me grounded.
Those things that shaped me, makes my strong personality and my character are the things that made me say that I am proud to be a breadwinner.
I am still struggling and will be for more couple of years, and I know lots out there are in the same situation as me. I just want you to be reminded that we are greater than our responsibilities (sound a bit cliche but doesn’t make it less true); we might be overwhelmed that we just wanted to cry, we might feel caged, we might feel that we shoulder the world’s problems, it might slow us from achieving our goals at times, and we might get angry at faith sometimes, but one thing for sure, we are not a quitter.
We are born to bear this responsibility and we are born to make it, with the help of our family who supports us, our friends who understand us and most of all, with the help of our God’s graces. Breadwinners will win.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me – Philippians 4:13
TheAverageCanDoIt 