MY PERSONAL CHILDHOOD WEB

There where a lot of people who influenced me during my upbringing.  The first people who had a big impact on me then and now are my parents, James and Shirley Hines.  My maternal grandparents, The late Rev. E.C. and Willie Mae Smith, as well as my aunt the late Annie B. Wright left an impression in my life that helped nurture and mold me into the person I am today.  My fifth grade teacher had a great impact on my life, she is Ms. Atlean Wallace Wilcher.  Another person that I believe surrounded me with knowledge and understanding was My step grandmother, the late Cilla P. Hines.  My neighbor the late Ella Outlaw, we called Granny played an important role in my life.  There where and are so many people who have been apart of my upbringing I wish I had an opportunity to just name them all.

My parents, have been my rock.  They have always been supportive in every aspect of my life.  Bringing me up in church,  insisting that I do well in school, finding help for me when they did not understand the task at hand, to helping me financially with my children, and for being shoulder to cry on.  My parents always insist on making sure that we do our best.  Thanks to the best parents ever.  So many times they went without so that their children may have.

My grandparents supported me in many ways that included but was not limited to an encouraging word, discipline, long needed talks, and cheerleaders at every event.  My grandmother, Willie Mae was just a phone call away when I wanted to make homemade biscuits, to give me instructions over the phone.  My grandfather, Eddie Clarance, was there when I needed to go to the Dairy Lane for an ice-cream, he made me felt like the world revolved around me.  Grandma Cilla Pearl was there when I was sick to nurse me back to health.  My aunt Annie Bell, better known as Sister Wright, taught me the true meaning of helping others in need, she also taught me how to be a Gardener, and  everything you do in life has a meaning.  My teacher, Ms. Wilcher taught me that even when others don't believe in you then you should always believe in yourself.  My neighbor, granny taught me scriptures and gave me words of wisdom to comfort me, she also taught me how to make a quilt.

The lesson and knowledge that I learned from the people mentioned above, impacts the values I attempt to instill in my children and my students.  I feel that I have been blessed abundantly to have known and to know the people in my life that made an everlasting impression that I hope to pass on.

Erica Hines