Dr. Laura:

I hear people on your show talk about their difficult childhoods and how it has kept them from making good choices in adulthood.  And then I think about my dad.

He had a very difficult childhood.  His father committed suicide when he was three, leaving his mother alone to care for him and his two older very disabled sisters.  She raised him the best she could, though much of attention had to be on the sisters.  She finally married a man who was an alcoholic.  Eagerly wanting a father of any kind, my dad said he often cleaned up after his stepfather late at night for fear his mother would grow tired of his drinking and kick him out.  In the Navy, my dad was also told by a psychologist that he could never hold down a job or a marriage.

Despite all this, my father has been happily married to my mother for over 52 years.  He met her at a dance.  When he saw how she accepted a dance from a disabled man, he was struck by her compassion and asked her out.  He was a successful engineer, working until well into his 70s, and provided his family with a wonderful home.  He can now enjoy his retirement years.  He took care of his disabled sisters financially until they passed away.  At 87, he still plays singles tennis and actively engages his mind and body every day.

He taught me to enjoy life and not to live in fear; to accept what is, and be grateful for what I had.  He's humble and kind to others and to me, and exemplifies the values you speak about on your show.  The best phrase he taught me was "a rich man is not one who has the most, but one who needs the least."  It's a great way to live.

Tammy