The Third Generation

My paternal grandfather was born in 1918. He had to quit school after the second grade because he had to get a job and help out the family. My father was born in 1947. He graduated high school before he plunged into the workforce. I was born in 1977 and went as far as graduate school.

I've been thinking recently about sacrifice. Both my grandfather and my father worked hard all their lives (in fact, my father is 60 and is still working hard) and sacrificed comforts in order for their children to have things a little better, to take the family one step further. It worked. They made things comfortable enough for their children to have opportunities that they never had. Each generation has taken a small step up the social ladder.

But then there's me. I feel like my generation has hit a dead end. What sacrifices can I make to make things better for my children? Sure, they may become more successful than me; but if they do, it'll be by virtue of what they've done for themselves rather than what I do for them.

I know this may sound like a petty thing to worry about. Perhaps my problem is one of definition: I think of success solely in financial terms. But if I think about success some other way, say, in terms of happiness, that still leads me with no sacrifices to make to ensure that my children's lives are better.

Where do we go from here?