DOING EVERYTHING MY PARENTS TOLD ME NOT TO DO.

From the time I was born to this very day my parents have loved, supported, and helped me through everything in my life. Their advice has always been sound and even when I start to lose my way they are always their to tell me that everything will work out. And while their advice is always spot on, I am TERRIBLE at actually doing it. From the young age of 12 they have continually told us (my sisters and I) that we should never follow a boy to college, never have a pet in college, if we get pregnant then we get kicked out and many other life lessons that were pretty much law in our house. I'm pretty sure I've done everything they told me not to do (besides the pregnancy one, no babies here WOOHOO) and i'm so glad that I did. I never considered myself to be the person who would follow a boy to college. All through out my high school years I considered myself to be a very independent woman and pretty much hated boys and relationships, but when I met the boy who I thought was the love of my life my whole life changed. I had never felt anything like that for anyone else and I was ready to drop everything. I mean at the same time, my life was falling apart due to my crumbling mental health so I was in a very weird place. I wasn't in school, I didn't know what I wanted to do and had no direction besides the fact that I knew for sure that I loved this man. So I turned my head up to my parents first and most important rule and I followed that boy to Texas. Everyone warned me against it, we could break up, it could end badly and then I would be stuck in Texas all alone. Well you guessed it, they were very very right. Six months into be living in Texas, we went through a terrible break up. I was left beaten and broken. I felt like shit. All of my friends I had in texas were through him, and I lost so many of them in the downfall of our relationship. I was alone and sad in Texas and I was cursing everyone who told me not to do it because they were right. Being the person that I am,I had too much pride and I refused to move home. Most of that due to the fact that I really didn't want to go through the stress of transferring again. So yeah, I followed a boy, the relationship ended terribly and my parents were right. It was a perfect storm for "I told you so" but then something amazing happened. Something in me allowed me to fight through all of my hurt and desperation and I went on to find myself. Through some of the hardest times in my life, I learned to love myself. I learned to love depending on only myself. I learned to love being me. If you had asked me during our breakup, if this would turn out to be the best thing to happen to me, I would have punched you in the face but now I would happily agree. Next comes my second 'mistake', the day I decided to get a dog. I mean I didn't really decide to get a dog, he kind of just found me and I refused to give him up. When waylon first came into my life, I was so worried that I wouldn't have to the time or the money to take care of him. I really did not want to tell my parents because I knew they would tell me that it was a bad idea. I hid it from everyone for a few days until I decided to keep him. Let me tell you, finding this dog is even better than my breakup! I have never loved something so much, in such a pure way and he brings so much happiness into my life. He stays with me when i'm crying, loves to cuddle all the time and showed me how to love unconditionally. And even my parents love him lol. So you heard it hear first kids, don't listen to your parents, you'll be happier because of it!! Love you mom and dad :)