Tonight I spent an evening with my Mom and Dad. Just me and them and I totally enjoyed it.
My parents will be 73 years old this year and I have to say that we have not always seen eye to eye. But that is all water under the bridge now and I realize that my parents did the best they could, with what knowledge they had. And maybe they could have done things differently, made better, more conscience choices but I am who I am today because they did what they did and although at times I have struggled with the whole business of being their daughter, I like who I am and at least part of the credit does go to them.
My parents married at the young age of 19. I was their ooops. They continued to have 4 more children and because they did not have a higher education, they had to work their asses off to make sure there was shelter over our heads and food on the table. I can’t say we really wanted for anything. We all knew and appreciated that my parents could only afford what they could. This gave us a good work ethic and appreciation for the value of “stuff”.
I did not agree with my father’s hard handed, tough love philosophy. But later he would tell me that he did what his father did, and his father’s father did, it was what he was taught. My father was the oldest of 13, my grandfather the second oldest of 6.
As time passes and we have our own children we either appreciate what our parents did for us, or use it as a lesson as to what not to do to our children, or a little of both. And at some point we stop being angry at our parents and start to forgive and appreciate that they did what they could.
I am glad that I am at that point in my life. They are still my Mommy and Daddy and since Gary’s death, when I am totally lost or sad or upset, I find comfort in their company and their love.
As we sat watching old re-runs of “The Red Skeleton Show” and reminisced of those days, I realized that I was lucky to still have my parents and to be able to appreciate them on a whole different level. But more than anything, that I could tell them how much I loved them and appreciated them and how more than ever I need them and am most grateful that they are there for me.
My parents will be 73 years old this year and I have to say that we have not always seen eye to eye. But that is all water under the bridge now and I realize that my parents did the best they could, with what knowledge they had. And maybe they could have done things differently, made better, more conscience choices but I am who I am today because they did what they did and although at times I have struggled with the whole business of being their daughter, I like who I am and at least part of the credit does go to them.
My parents married at the young age of 19. I was their ooops. They continued to have 4 more children and because they did not have a higher education, they had to work their asses off to make sure there was shelter over our heads and food on the table. I can’t say we really wanted for anything. We all knew and appreciated that my parents could only afford what they could. This gave us a good work ethic and appreciation for the value of “stuff”.
I did not agree with my father’s hard handed, tough love philosophy. But later he would tell me that he did what his father did, and his father’s father did, it was what he was taught. My father was the oldest of 13, my grandfather the second oldest of 6.
As time passes and we have our own children we either appreciate what our parents did for us, or use it as a lesson as to what not to do to our children, or a little of both. And at some point we stop being angry at our parents and start to forgive and appreciate that they did what they could.
I am glad that I am at that point in my life. They are still my Mommy and Daddy and since Gary’s death, when I am totally lost or sad or upset, I find comfort in their company and their love.
As we sat watching old re-runs of “The Red Skeleton Show” and reminisced of those days, I realized that I was lucky to still have my parents and to be able to appreciate them on a whole different level. But more than anything, that I could tell them how much I loved them and appreciated them and how more than ever I need them and am most grateful that they are there for me.
Thanks Mom and Dad!
No comments:
Post a Comment