Page 88 - Life Legacy Project

Please and Thank You Ginger Lawrence
How to tell the story of Ginger Lawrence. That’s a hard one. To start with she is an energetic, free spirited woman who doesn’t care what anyone thinks. Ginger is a 59 year old woman who was born in Toppenish, Washington. She was born 6 weeks early and was named after the spice, Ginger.
Looking back on her childhood she can only remember laughter and happiness in her home. Her family had 80 acres of land in the “middle of nowhere”. Before she could ride a horse with a saddle on, she had to master riding without one, and if you have never ridden bareback it’s really hard. Anyway, her family went camping, fishing, horseback riding, and anything else a family would do together. She grew up watching Disney and John Wayne and it wasn’t until her junior year of highschool that she had television.
When Ginger was young she dreamed of being a jockey and model. Although she wanted to be a jockey, she wanted to be a model even more. “When I was little I would hang from the tree by my hands to try and stretch myself out so I could be tall enough... That never worked.” While dreaming of being a model, she wanted to live in the big city of New York. Along with a modeling she wanted to be an actress and singer. That never happened...
As an adult she had multiple jobs. None of which were what she dreamed of but she was happy anyway. At first she was a travel agent, then she worked in radio and television, and now she is a substitute teacher. Even though she didn’t end up doing what she dreamed of doing as a little kid, she still wouldn’t change a thing.
Wrong Way. That was her nickname. As she says, “I have no sense of direction, like at all.” No matter where she is, if she is in charge and has no idea where she is, she will get lost. When she was a senior in high school, she went to New York and was put as the head of the group. Bad idea. They ended up being late for the show that they were supposed to see with everyone else. They were actually two hours late. Never was she in charge again.
Having kids changed a few things. Of course like every parent says, “It’s amazing to see them grow and to see them change as they get older and more mature.” Well she said that too. “Everyday is different and that’s the beauty of it.” She loved to see what each day would bring. Especially when her kids were being a pain so she would get to embarrass them a little.
When her daughter was younger and she was being a little brat, her words, she would dress up in the most embarrassing thing she could find and show up to her soccer practice. Ginger did the same exact thing to her son Justin. Although there were times where her own children were a little embarrassing. Being about 8 years old Lace knew not to “purposefully” get stuff on her mom so she found her own little way to get away with it. “Every time she ordered pancakes with syrup at a restaurant, she would quickly eat it, then come up to me and kiss me. Little squirt.”
Now her children are all grown up and she is older, but of course young at heart. Her dreams are a little different than they were when she was younger. She spends her days reading, teaching, and planning trips to travel the world. There is something else that she dreams about. Ginger wants to be a “gypsie”. She wants to travel to other countries and see other cultures. So basically a theater gypsy. She wants to go on the unbeaten paths. The ones that have never been explored. “Never look on the outside, always look on the inside.”
Something that Ginger wants for the world would for everyone to have acceptance and empathy. “Walk in other people’s shoes, understand, and you will find a common ground.” Ginger lives life like an adventure. She never knows what’s going to happen and that’s what she loves about it.
“When you follow your dream, be polite. It doesn’t take much to say please, thank you, and add a smile. Don’t hold back and be a risk taker. The most important thing is to be happy as long as you aren’t hurting someone else. Follow this and your life will be lived.” -Ginger Lawrence
Created by: Crysta Danson
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