I was a bad kid…the kind you would probably tell your own children to avoid…although by all appearances you would not have known it. I kind of lead this double life…on the one hand I was the oldest child – a caregiver for my siblings, above average student, and despite all the challenges doing the best I could to portray the illusion of a normal family and way of life. On the other hand though there was this dark soul and restless angry child…who was so dissatisfied with his station in life and the absence of a suitable mode of transportation…set up a bicycle chop-shop one year in the wooded area behind Rockland School. Full disclosure requires that I admit to stealing over 10 bicycles in the course of a year…I would break them down and reassemble as desired…presto – cool new bike for me. Of course there is nothing that I can say that will make this admission okay or justifiable – which is not my intent here anyway. I spent a good part of my youth experimenting in the criminal element…and I think it served as an important exercise, contrasting the realities of my young life with the values of the few generous people who ultimately mentored and guided me into adulthood. It gave me context and depth of perspective, an enhanced self awareness and also an appreciation of the world I maneuvered through, which enforced the choices and decisions to leave those childish ways behind me…and take a very different path in life.
Photo by Lawrence Lewis (2012)
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Lawrence Lewis
“Regrets and mistakes…they are memories made.” – Adele
About Lawrence Lewis
I do a number of things professionally...but most of all and the true purpose of what I do through "my work" is to provide for my family, be a good husband and great father, and try to make a difference as a world citizen...I guess it's not much more complicated than that 🙂