Mary Mouland

Hello everyone, my name is Mary Mouland. As I sit on this beautiful white sand, under the clear blue sky, I wonder how I got here and why. The insecure feeling I have inside me came from somewhere. It seems like I have felt this way my whole life. They say your early years have a lot to do with the way you think about yourself and others. I keep remembering back over the years, and the day I went to live with my adoptive parents.

I was three years old when my mother and father died. I was placed in many foster homes until I was eight years old. At that time I was adopted into a very loving and wonderful home.

The people that adopted me were much older than me and didn't have any children of their own. I remember the first day I went there; Dad was tarring the roof and Mom was on the porch waiting for me to come. The first thing I said was, "Hello, Mom and Dad," and I ran into their arms. From that day on I was their little girl.

I finally had a family I could call my own. I belonged to someone after all

those years. But everything wasn't perfect. There were times when I wished I could disappear into the thin air. My parents were always protective of me and always wanted me to be the best at everything, especially in school.

I always had to be the perfect lady, not allowed to run and jump and have fun. If I did any of those things I was called wild and a tomboy. Although my parents were very good to me, it was like I could never do anything to please them. Even to this day I am very insecure about everything I do or say.

The years passed. At the age of fourteen I started dating a man who is now my husband. I became pregnant at the age of fifteen and was the mother of three children by the time I was nineteen. I had only got as far as grade nine in school.

I took a GED course when I was 25 years old and received my grade 12 diploma. I was so excited, it felt like I finally achieved something. Eight years later I enrolled in a business course and successfully leapt another hurdle.

Right now I am a 35 year old mother of three grown children and have one beautiful grandchild. My husband is very supportive of me and I thank God for him. Although the years have been hard, after 21 years we are still together. Today I am still insecure, but I am learning how to love myself and to do things for myself and not for everyone else.

Questions:

  1. Why did Mary feel excited about receiving her grade twelve diploma?
  2. Why was Mary called a tomboy?

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