From about eight years old I was always making things on the sewing machine. Friends would see me making dresses and costumes and I'd use difficult fabrics such as Lycra and elastic. But you know my dad was creative and my brother is inventive too.
Religion kept some of my relatives alive because it was all they had. If they hadn't had some hope of heaven some companionship in Jesus they probably would have committed suicide their lives were so hellish.