Where I was from Summary

She, however, recalls an absurd story about her cousin who donated a potato masher that was old but carried along through her generations to Pacific University Museum. Didion and her family have an attachment to California, a reason why she "began trying to find the ‘point' of California, to locate some messages in its history (Didion, 28). Didion's history and her family narrations give room to other stories which she explores in the book. Didion explains the challenges which her family faces and the different ways through which this is carried from one generation to the next. She states that the women in her family did live "without much time for second thoughts, without much inclination toward equivocation. I also wanted to have my family living in peace without a person causing any trouble.

I wanted to know how my family could still become better amidst the many challenges. In the beginning, my parents were not financially stable and would struggle to make ends meet. Our neighbors seemed to have everything they needed in life and since we could not align with their social classes, they could not accommodate us. In her work, Didion explains the impact of second thoughts in her childhood in the Sacramento Valley. Her family life changed and took a new direction but she felt that the pride her family took was "strikingly unearned. " Her focus and that of her family earned them better lives when compared to their past. In the same way that Didion felt that her family had made positive changes, I experienced the same when my parents finally became employed and could meet all our needs.

The neighbors who had once made us inferior started appreciating our presence in the estate. At first, I felt that my family had not done something special to receive the favor which moved us from our previous state. In the previous city where my family lived, I always believed that I had a lot of information and knowledge about how it functions. I was never exposed to insecurities or challenges arising from the beliefs of the society. I also thought that all I knew about the city was all that was happening there. However, after moving to the current city, I realized that I knew very little about my old hometown. It was a time when I came to understand why our neighbors always went against us and could not associate with my family.

After joining high school, I realized that my life had taken different directions and I had changed from how I used to be in the past. I started seeing things from a different perspective. For example, I knew that I had to make better decisions which will shape my future. Sometimes, looking back is important but one should always look for ways to move ahead and overcome obstacles which may arise from life uncertainties. Didion's life experiences provide an explanation for why people make some decisions which may not be the best for the people around them. Didion became responsible in her life and focused on achieving her life goals. Likewise, I believe that I have grown to become a better person with more understanding of the different activities and events taking place around me.