Growing up my “eldest” cousin was my Mom’s favorite for some reason.
“He’s so serious and studious” I kept hearing my mother say, and in the same breath she’d look at me with a censorious Victorian era stare.
“some people aren’t that serious about their studies”, she’d go in that manner I do NOT – I repeat – NOT recommend you talk to your kids that way at all, even if youre highly dissatisfied with them because it believe me, it can really mess kids up.
Permanently. And yours truly felt the effects too, but yours truly had one thing which not everyone does – that being a desire to FIGHT. Always. Even when the chips were down.
But as Uncle Bob said upon hearing about my family.
“Parents can really screw up a kid’s development”.
He was right, of course (and I can hear the chorus of “no he wasnt” from a certain quarter who is admittedly secretly and avidly not just reading this, but gobbling it up).
Anyway this eldest cousin never “tried to be physically strong”. So of course he was the bomb!
His brother?
Nah. Not so much.
I never heard my mom utter ONE complimentary word about him.
If anything, at the age of 19 apparently he came to my Mom’s place to stay with them while he went to college.
I still remember my mother writing to me about ... guess what?
You got it.
“He sits at home! He doesnt go anywhere! He just sits at home! ” she wailed.
(apparently going to college didn't count)
For whatever reason, those that “sit at home” dont go down too well with my (not in her opinion) dysfunctional mom even if theyre going to college or makinh money or what not – of course, she herself has the right despite not even FINISHING college herself, let alone ever work a SINGLE DAY IN HER WHOLE LIFE.
(Apparently the excuse for that is “I got married young”.)
Right, Mama .........
I gotta give it to you.
You’re the best Nazi feminist I ever knew!
Anyway, cousin #2 is a great guy.
He drinks beer. Sits at home. Probably makes money doing it too (or at least he sat at home then, not sure about now, hehe).
And he was NAUGHTY when growing up.
Same as my own child. Whom I love more than anything else in the world, and (admittedly) pander to her to a T.
She had me wrapped around her little finger from the minute she was born, with those large eyes staring at me!
“IS this Papa?”
I could FEEL IT!
Anyway, cousin #2 was a carbon copy pretty much of my Uncle, who always tried to help me. Praise me. Singing. Otherwise. Etc.
OF course, he drank like a fish, so he was persona non grata for Mom too (and he smoked like a chimney, hehe).
Much like yours truly.
And that alone should tell you a lot about why I Dont and have never gotten along with family.
Their view is life is a grind.
Mine is the opposite.
And so it stands.
But I remember my aunt though never directly praising me other than the wistful “you’ve got slim surgeon’s fingers” (in a good way she said that) always being KIND.
Never had a bad thing to say to ANYONE growing up. Any kid, that is.
Of course, this was a lady that actually WORKED in her life at a certain point.
An English teacher no less, so shes no doubt NOT HAPPY With all my typoooooooooos and miz-spelings”.
Lings.
Hehe.
Anyway, I won’t go there.
But point is, even my Dad ... despite his tendency to pander to Nazi feminism (truth be told – hey – he chose that path – more power to him!) ... was mostly FAIR.
To ALL the kids.
Unlike my dear Mom.
And thereeth, my friend lies the tale of dysfunction, at least for now.
Ok, enough of this brain dump.
Pick up the MOST functional fitness system you’ve ever been on right here – the 0 Excuses Fitness System.
Believe me, the results will BLOW you away.
Best,
Rahul Mookerjee
PS - - A recent customer termed my book on CORE training Corrugated Core to be one of the most functional ever in terms of REAL strength and fitness. Go HERE To check it out!
PS #2 – all the stories I tell are TRUE, hehe. Just in case you were wondering – yes – such dysfunction DOES exist!
PPS – But, and I almost forgot to say this, As Napoleon Hill famously said.
“Every adversity, every temporary difficulty carries with it the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit. Mind you, I did not say the FLOWER of full blown success, but the SEED from which said success might be said to germinate”.
Sage, my friend. Sage. I highly recommend reading “Outwitting the Devil”, even if you’re not religious (I sure ain’t, and I love the book).
I wouldn’t be where I am today without all of the above and then some – so thank you in that regard, Mama. I wouldn’t have the DESIRE To get back and keep going after constantly gettring knocked down. I’d have never created this or other businsesses, or accomplishe dwhat I have in MANY OTHER sphere of LIFE and believe me, there are many. I’d probably be one of the bozos you like so much if all of this wasn’t there.
Come to think of it – that is what you want – and don’t. Hehe. ‘nuff said!