my childhood...great.

my childhood was definitely not perfect. my grandmother, grandfather and father all died within a few years of each other, and on top of that i discovered i was adopted which made me feel even more lonely. but i believe that because i grew up with such adversity, and watched my mother single handedly provide a comfortable lifestyle for me, i learned the value of life, love, family and happiness. even though i experienced a lot of tragedy as a child, i learned that success does not come from the cards you are dealt. instead, success stems from how you mold and adapt to what exists in your life.
i was very bitter growing up because i didnt have the same things as my friends and peers. even though my mom worked to provide me with a very good private school education and nice things, i didnt have a dad to keep me from dating the wrong boys or grandparents to spoil me. however, i think that as i got older, i learned to appreciate what i did have more than my friends did. i learned that things can get taken from you at any time and it is more important to make yourself happy in your own way rather than comparing yourself to other people. i guess that's how i feel about my own success today. even though i am still not sure what i exactly want to do with my life, i am proud of what i have accomplished thus far. i dont look at what other people have and strive to achieve it; i focus on what i know i need and what i have to do to get it. being successful to me isnt having a lot of money or a million people worshipping you. its being satisfied and happy with what you have.