So what does it mean to be an adult?
Does it mean earning money and surviving on your own, without help from parents?
Does it mean cooking your own food and cleaning your own clothes?
Does it mean taking your own decisions?
I think becoming an adult means shielding your parents from stress, pain and worry. That is what being an adult is about.
Remember when you were a child, your Mom would get up before you, no matter whatever time she slept at night, prepare your breakfast and lunch, then wake you up and send you off to school. She made sure you were comfortable and happy.
Your Dad would be awake before you as well. Getting ready for the day ahead, the toil and labour so that you could have your needs fulfilled. Coming home late in the evening much after you. Tired and exhausted yet happy to see you playing with your toys or watching TV or doing your homework (in case you were an ideal child!).
They were like pillars holding the roof over your head, protecting you from a tough existence.
They had issues many times. They fell ill, they had problems at work, stress, emotional issues. But all the time they never told you how they felt. They never shared all their problems with you. Many issues you were not even aware of. Being a kid you probably didn't even realise that issues existed. You were too happy in your own little storybook world.
That is what being an adult means. When you are able to shield the people you love from your problems. When you are able to take all the stress and show them nothing but a smile. That's what your parents did for you.
One day you will start doing it for them. As they enter the end of their working life and it is time for them to enjoy the fruits of their labour you will start keeping your issues from them. In the beginning it will be small issues like minor illnesses and daily stress which will increase to major issues. You will take their issues as your own. You will make sure they are kept happy and are disturbed as little as possible with problems. You will of course inform them when things go seriously wrong, that is when you do need their support. Hiding problems doesn't mean alienating them. They will always be there to provide support.
When you start treating parental support as a God given privilege rather than a necessity, that is when you can start calling yourself an adult.
Does it mean earning money and surviving on your own, without help from parents?
Does it mean cooking your own food and cleaning your own clothes?
Does it mean taking your own decisions?
I think becoming an adult means shielding your parents from stress, pain and worry. That is what being an adult is about.
Remember when you were a child, your Mom would get up before you, no matter whatever time she slept at night, prepare your breakfast and lunch, then wake you up and send you off to school. She made sure you were comfortable and happy.
Your Dad would be awake before you as well. Getting ready for the day ahead, the toil and labour so that you could have your needs fulfilled. Coming home late in the evening much after you. Tired and exhausted yet happy to see you playing with your toys or watching TV or doing your homework (in case you were an ideal child!).
They were like pillars holding the roof over your head, protecting you from a tough existence.
They had issues many times. They fell ill, they had problems at work, stress, emotional issues. But all the time they never told you how they felt. They never shared all their problems with you. Many issues you were not even aware of. Being a kid you probably didn't even realise that issues existed. You were too happy in your own little storybook world.
That is what being an adult means. When you are able to shield the people you love from your problems. When you are able to take all the stress and show them nothing but a smile. That's what your parents did for you.
One day you will start doing it for them. As they enter the end of their working life and it is time for them to enjoy the fruits of their labour you will start keeping your issues from them. In the beginning it will be small issues like minor illnesses and daily stress which will increase to major issues. You will take their issues as your own. You will make sure they are kept happy and are disturbed as little as possible with problems. You will of course inform them when things go seriously wrong, that is when you do need their support. Hiding problems doesn't mean alienating them. They will always be there to provide support.
When you start treating parental support as a God given privilege rather than a necessity, that is when you can start calling yourself an adult.
No comments:
Post a Comment