Chapter 1~ Discussion/ Reflection: The First Thing I Bought Was…

I remember this day like it was yesterday. My first real purchase with my OWN money. No more scraggly hand me downs from my sister who was 3 years older than me and about 6 inches taller (I’m only 5″). I was 14 years old. I applied for my worker’s permit and headed straight to Mc Donald’s where I was immediately hired. I recount waiting for those 2 weeks to be up, so that I could receive my very first check. I remember all the plans I had for it. I wanted to go shopping and buy some new clothes and shoes because God knows I needed it. When I finally received my check my mom took me to cash it. I recall getting home that evening and I could hear my dad voicing quietly in his bedroom his financial burdens to my mom. I remember for a moment feeling burdened with sadness. I’m not sure if it was for selfish reasons or not but I walked into my parents room and gave them my first whole check. Of course my dad did not want to take my money but I told him to please take it as a token of my appreciation for all of the things they tried to do for me and my siblings. My parents came from Mexico so I am a first generation Mexican-American. Was this a memorable purchase? Absolutely. With tears in their eyes and pretty much unwillingly, I forcefully gave them the money and walked away. Our society teaches us a consumer culture that we almost feel is biological. We have that need engrained in our body but we don’t stop to think that we have made this type of society for ourselves. I first hand know that people stand on many different social locations and based on that, you are perceived separately within social classes, but it’s ok. I believe you can still hold your head up high no matter where you perceive yourself or others perceive you but always stay true to yourself regardless of the social forces that do surround you and the pressures you face.