Personality or ‘Money can’t buy you love’
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| Personality or ‘Money can’t buy you
love’ December 2011 Being unemployed since April has been an interesting but also frustrating time. It has meant that I have become dependent on others, which I’m not keen on, but has also made me realise how money and personality go together. About two years ago my son told me that one of his friends was struggling and was having a hard life. He had a mother whose parents were wealthy but farmed her and her sister out to other people while they went off to enjoy themselves. She’d got in with the ‘wrong crowd’ got pregnant and was persuaded by her parents to have the child adopted. Several years later after a string of boyfriends she got pregnant again and this time kept the child [my son’s friend]. Her parents never let go of her but they also never really gave her what she needed which was unconditional love. Consequently her son was brought up in a number of homes with a string of step Dads, booze and drugs. One day she left him alone and he carried on doing what he had done since he was a small child, muddling through. He went to school most of the time when he could afford to get there. He worked part time and bought some food and had heating and lighting sometime. One day about six months later, with an hour’s notice at the age of seventeen he came to live with us [me and my two children] I took him shopping one day and asked what biscuits he would like. He couldn’t choose because he’d never had any choice. My son said that he was overwhelmed by a fridge full of food. What has this all got to do with personality and money you might ask. Well while he stayed with me [for just over six months] his Grandparents were living the rich life between affluent Cheshire and India. They were in touch but only to nag him and his Mum. She was grateful to me for helping but they never thanked me. One day I found his GCSE results and they were all A’s and B’s. I was amazed that a child who had been so neglected could have done so well. He is now living in a homeless person’s hostel and is in his second year of a BTec with predicted distinctions and has applied to go to university. He can be a bit hopeless with money but no different to other young people of his age. But one thing he relished was coming to my Mothers 90th birthday party and being part of a family. Considering the different personalities in the family made me realise how self- centred and selfish some people can be. My son’s friend is an easy going chap who would never hurt anyone but who could be easily influenced. He also has the determination to do his best. All he has needed is a bit of attention and higher expectations. He is hoping to study chemistry at University with a view to pharmaceuticals and is currently doing a one day a week placement at a hospital where they are making head way with a blood test for lung cancer. He’s fascinated and has impressed the consultants there but he could have become a burden on society. The old saying Money can’t buy you love certainly is true. by Rachel Bramble |
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