Genetics or environment.
The argument has waged for years in an effort to define why it is that
people turn out the way they do. Take
any 1000 people born into poverty, some percentage of them will find a way to
lift themselves out of it. Not necessarily
the smartest, or the most talented, but some will.
And look at those truly gifted in any endeavor, great
musicians, or painters, powerful speakers, or innovative engineers; all with
lesser accomplished brothers and sisters from common parents.
Heck, look at my brother’s and I.
Same parents, born within three years from oldest to
youngest, same rules, same schools.
We all got our Father’s Father’s Father’s Y chromosome, yet we
were and are very different people.
If physical stature counts for anything, I got our Mother’s
Father’s Mother’s X chromosome, while Barry and Jeff got our Mother’s Mother’s X chromosome.
But even the two of them are different.
So, raised the same, but genetically different, and yet……..
One day when I was about 16 years old, I was walking down
the main street of Pleasanton, the little town about 5 miles east of Livermore,
when I hear a voice behind me yell; “Hey Vandermolen”.
Turning, I looked back.
There was no one there that I recognized, and while it is true that I am
a bit near sighted, I had my glasses on so that wasn’t the problem.
Turning back I continued onward.
Running footsteps clattered up behind me and again “Hey Vandermolen”
floats on the air.
Turning this time, while I definitely did not recognize her,
a girl a couple years older than me is running to catch up.
When she pants to a stop she looks me over carefully and
says; “You have an older brother named Barry, don’t you?”
I stared at her in dumbfounded surprise for a moment or two.
I mean, I had never laid eyes on this girl before, and she
obviously hadn’t seen me before either.
And yet, she knew me. So I asked;
“Yeah, but how did you know?”
To which she replied; “You walk just like him”.
© Copyright 2015, Marty Vandermolen, All Rights Reserved
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