“You get what you earn, but nothing is free.”  Truer words have never been spoken by someone who knows the meaning them. Take Melissa Geissert for example.  Now, this 32-year-old veteran to the hardships of growing up is no stranger to the struggles of endless work and borderline poverty.  No one can question the truth to her knowledge of that.  But Melissa also knows a great deal about something else: Something that could only be discovered by talking to her.  Something rare, yet inspirational to encounter in a person who has fought on the front line on the battlefield of life since mere childhood.  That something is what we like to call optimism.  Melissa calls it hope for a better life.
Melissa was born and raised in Salina, Kansas.  Since her father was tragically diagnosed with cancer and constantly sick, her mother was responsible for supporting Melissa and her five siblings, paying medical bills, and putting food on the table.  That meant fried potatoes every night for four years.  “The only full meal we would get was the lunch from school,” recalls Melissa, “Times were really tough.”
So tough, in fact, that Melissa began working at age twelve to assist in her mother’s critical financial situation.  “I would baby-sit and give my mom all the money I made to buy food.  Things started getting a little better then,” She remembers.
And they only got better. As time went by, Melissa’s older brothers and sisters began to move out, leaving only Melissa and her younger brother to be cared for.  Now able to catch up on bills and expenses, Melissa’s mother began to refuse the hard-earned baby-sitting money.  Now, with this extra cash, an average teenager might be inclined to buy a new tape, or go out for pizza and a movie.  But Melissa was more than happy to purchase winter clothing for herself and her younger brother.  They would no longer be forced to wear the free used handouts from their church and school.  She continued this routine all throughout school until she married at age 17.
Now, Melissa has two daughters of her own, who, with their births, have given Melissa the greatest experiences of her life.  Melissa now looks toward the future with a refreshingly hopeful outlook, “It’s been a long, uphill road, but I strive to make it better.”  And she has.  Today, the only thing she would change about her life is her job at Wal-Mart.  “That’s why I’m going to school,” Melissa chuckles, in spite of herself, “To get a good job.”  Just as long as that job is found here in Salina.  She has no intention of abandoning her family or her memories that remain in her beloved hometown.
This lack of desire to leave her family reflects her compassionate character.  She’s the type of person who never likes to see people hurt or demeaned.  In fact, one of her greatest annoyances is seeing someone being teased for any reason at all.  It is not surprising that Melissa’s friendly and unconditionally caring personality has brought her few enemies.  Although she’s a bit shy to admit it, she says it proudly; “I do get along with pretty much anyone.”
It’s not easy to see how one can overcome such grief as a child, and become a strong, focused person, building a better life for herself, and refusing to succumb to bitterness.  But Melissa Geissert has done just that.  Ironically, she says that the person she looks up to more than anyone is her mother, because she suffered so much in life and sacrificed a lot.  “She really had a trying life,” Melissa explains, “but always seemed high in spirit.  She is my hero.”  If suffering, sacrifice, compassion, and unbreakable high spirits are qualifications for a hero, then Melissa should consider herself one.  After all, she’s earned the title.  And you get what you earn.

Krista Rae Depperschmidt
15 October 1999