The parent-child conundrum

Dear child

I carried you for nine months, fed you, watched over you, let you fall at times, but always rushed to help you up. And then it took me all my strength to allow you to wriggle out of my arms and walk again. I cooked, I cleaned, I washed. I told you bed time stories, even though my own eyes were heavy with sleep.

I fought for you, defended you – even though you were being an obnoxious bully, and then I hauled you inside our home and punished you.

I built your strength, your self esteem.

I nurtured you.

I made you strong …

And you used that strength to walk away from me, to put a distance between us.

An aged parent

 

 

Dear Parent

I am your child and I may not remember the sacrifices you made then, but I love you for them.

I came into this world as you did.

To work, to learn and to explore – again as you did.

I am not an extension of you, even though your features are stamped on mine, even though your traits are ingrained in me.

I am me, with all that ME encompasses, flaws, virtues, strengths and weaknesses.

You can search and find reflections of you in me, but they are something we share, like my infancy.

I belong to the world now, to the family I create. I belong to my friends and I have my own work cut out for me.

Let me fly, let me sail, let me run.

You gave me strength and nurtured me for this.

And yes, I know that if I stumble and fall, you will be there to help me up.

Even though your eyes and strength fail.

Even though your wrinkled hand and bent shoulders will barely be able to support me.

I know, deep in my heart, that I can count on your support, till your dying breath.

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