Five-minute free writes, Day 12 - "First"

Being the firstborn in a large family is a mixed bag of good stuff and bad stuff.

Good stuff:  My memories are the most accurate.  I say this because of the many interesting conversations I've had with my six siblings, and the fascinating differences in our perceptions.  None of us is incorrect, exactly - we just see through different lenses.  And I have few memories that predate their births, some of them quite vivid.

Bad stuff:  I was the first, and consequently, the trial-and-error kid.  Actually, this probably isn't really bad, it just seemed like it at the time.  Lots of the ways that I am resilient today are as a result of my having to overcome a few challenges back in the day.

Bad stuff: I get the eye rolls. I think being bossy is just the natural lot of the firstborn. In that big family, I was assigned to kid duty a lot, had to fend for the whole herd a lot, and worked under a bit of pressure to make sure all was smooth in kid world. That natural leadership position that is thrust upon the oldest also makes for a pretty controlling adult.  Just sayin'.

I do realize that birth order is an accident.  I got a LOT of things the others didn't, simply because I was the first.  Best education. Trip to the NY World's Fair in 1964. And, I think, maybe a bit of a special place in the world.

Good stuff.