I didn't grow up with a sliver spoon in my mouth by no means. Of course not. I didn't grow up knowing what it was like to get gifts, just 'cause. I don't know what it is like to go and drop money on clothes like it's a bad habit. I didn't get a brand new vehicle the day I turned 16, or even a newer one at that. Growing up it was hard to understand why some kids could have those things and I couldn't. I would beg for things I knew I couldn't get, because I wanted to fit in so badly. I know what it is like to be like everyone else and to be liked because of the tag on my shirt. I thought at that time that was what life was all about. I thought that fitting in was everything. I didn't hurt for anything. I'll be honest about that. I had a roof over my head, food in my stomach and a bed to sleep in every night. I had nice things. I truly did. It might not have been the high dollar shirt from that store that you needed a mask to walk into in the mall, every one else had but I had nice clothes. I never had to run around looking like a homeless trailer park trash, Walmart feet kid either.

It took me a little while to look back and see that I was liked in elementary school... I was liked for me. For my personality. I had friends and I had great ones at that. I was never the kid who had to worry about eating lunch alone, but at that time growing up I thought I was the freak of the class. It took growing up to realize that I had happiness. Happiness that money didn't buy. I had great friends that where not worried about where I got my clothes from.

I see far too many people these days so self consumed in what every one has or doesn't have. I see them judging the type of person someone is, because of the vehicle they drive. I drive a '07 Chevy Malibu. When I got the car I had a opportunity to get something that was a little more my fitting to my social group, something that fit in with my friends. They where all two door, however I chose the car I have now to help my best friends at the time, mother picking up her kids from school. She was giving me a home to live in, I chose to be selfless and have something more efficient for them. So why judge me on that? My car is paid off, and that's an extra $336 in my pocket a month... Why would I want to have that extra bill?... Why do you need to have the latest greatest car that you have to pay such a high payment for to impress anyone? Ask yourself this, with your vehicle payment, what more could you do a month?

I don't have credit cards or loans. What's the point? I understand doing it to build credit and being a bank teller I fully support that reasoning. I see people though that use that as a way to have extra money to blow. Why? Why max your cards out to buy things that you do not need to satisfy others views of you? Why is this world so caught up in what we look like to others that we would want to stress ourselves to death with the life of barely getting by, having to have all these extra payments they do not need, I have never understood that. Don't get me wrong by any means I have some name brand articles of clothing, accessories and such. But I never had to sell off my left and right leg to afford this life.

Our judgement of character should not come from what a person looks like on the outside. A friendship shouldn't be based off whether a person is wearing the latest and greatest brands or not. What I'm not understanding more is, why is this a competition? Why are so many of us competing over these materialistic items with our closest friends. Oh, so your buddy got a brand new '15 GMC Sierra? He put 33's on it... Well I'm gonna put these here 34's on credit because he can't have better than me. Those tires don't make you, you make you. I promise you there are more important things in life. The size of tires won't matter.

Life isn't about all these things. Life is about building a future with someone who makes your heart skip a beat. Your best friend. It's about making a family with that person and enjoying those short memories you have with them. To teach them the true joys in life, so that they grow up to repeat the cycle as well. The love of your life will never look at you any differently.We should be focusing on the more important things in life rather than competing with everyone else.