The poem itself is very strong even without the prose beneath, as a poet, this is a pretty biased opinion but I feel like the poem could stand by itself!
Dang this poem really captured growing up so well!! I agree with this, I’ve actaully been thinking about that a lot lately, and noticed the older you grow, the more your perspective on your parents changes. u have a gift! :)
This is a beautifully written reflection that captures the quiet heartbreak of growing up and realizing our parents were never giants, but simply human beings doing their best within their own limits.
This made my eyes water up a little. This is a good one.
To add to the sentiment: It’s very difficult to do, but I think we often forget our parents as being children once too. We don’t think about that a lot. And some people don’t think about it all. Our parents were children who were being brought up by people who are were also limited too. Struggles. Humanity. Best efforts. And then their parents before them were children. And so on and so forth. Everyone is being raised by former-children who were just as confused and just as scared coming into this world. And they grew into teenagers. Then adults. And there are individual stories of victories and failures that we can never truly comprehend. We’ll never truly know the numerous heartbreaks they went through. We’ll never truly know what tempered them. But we can do our best in seeing what they’ve sacrificed and what it took for them to get to the point to be our parents. And ya know, not everyone is so lucky. Some people don’t have parents. Some people are truly thrown into this world in a hard and lonely way. So if anyone does have even one parent who did their best—that should be cherished. Even if they tried and failed in many respects, at least they tried.
So I read this recently, I’m not sure who to credit it to but it fits perfectly with what you said. “After a certain age, your parents slowly become your children. They ask simple questions, repeat stories, and depend on your patience the way you once depended on theirs. Very few understand this role reversal. What looks like innocence or inconvenience is really time coming full circle. Don't correct them harshly. Don't rush them.
Care for them the way they once protected you. This is not a burden. It is repayment, quietly wrapped as love.”
I love this . Thank you for sharing It found me at a perfect time in my life. This has been a theme I’ve been reflecting over all week as my mother and I’s relationship has been taking a turn for the better. If only we could be knowledgeable of the truth in this as kids right ?!
Hey Mihaela, I’m really glad things are turning for the better between you two. The beauty is in the journey sometimes, even if the journey really tests your patience when you’re younger. Looking back, I don’t think you’ll regret choosing to see the humanity in your parents.
The relationship to parents is the most formative one to exist. At one point you really got to rebuild yourself from your own wishes and desires, cause one day you notice how helplessly limited your parents were in their own selves.
The poem itself is very strong even without the prose beneath, as a poet, this is a pretty biased opinion but I feel like the poem could stand by itself!
Super fair, I thought the article would be too short 😭
Dang this poem really captured growing up so well!! I agree with this, I’ve actaully been thinking about that a lot lately, and noticed the older you grow, the more your perspective on your parents changes. u have a gift! :)
Thank you Elly :) This also got me in my feels that’s how I knew it was a universal feeling to share! hahah. Happy to connect with you as well!
This is a beautifully written reflection that captures the quiet heartbreak of growing up and realizing our parents were never giants, but simply human beings doing their best within their own limits.
good one! we most often forget that this is their first time living too and they’re also figuring things out along the way. 👏
This is so beautifully written! we put so much weight on the roles of a mother and a father- when all they truly are is just human.
Exactly! And they have their own story as being children too, once upon a time.
This made my eyes water up a little. This is a good one.
To add to the sentiment: It’s very difficult to do, but I think we often forget our parents as being children once too. We don’t think about that a lot. And some people don’t think about it all. Our parents were children who were being brought up by people who are were also limited too. Struggles. Humanity. Best efforts. And then their parents before them were children. And so on and so forth. Everyone is being raised by former-children who were just as confused and just as scared coming into this world. And they grew into teenagers. Then adults. And there are individual stories of victories and failures that we can never truly comprehend. We’ll never truly know the numerous heartbreaks they went through. We’ll never truly know what tempered them. But we can do our best in seeing what they’ve sacrificed and what it took for them to get to the point to be our parents. And ya know, not everyone is so lucky. Some people don’t have parents. Some people are truly thrown into this world in a hard and lonely way. So if anyone does have even one parent who did their best—that should be cherished. Even if they tried and failed in many respects, at least they tried.
So I read this recently, I’m not sure who to credit it to but it fits perfectly with what you said. “After a certain age, your parents slowly become your children. They ask simple questions, repeat stories, and depend on your patience the way you once depended on theirs. Very few understand this role reversal. What looks like innocence or inconvenience is really time coming full circle. Don't correct them harshly. Don't rush them.
Care for them the way they once protected you. This is not a burden. It is repayment, quietly wrapped as love.”
Eventhough the words are limited it carries a huge meaning 🫠🤍✨
I love this . Thank you for sharing It found me at a perfect time in my life. This has been a theme I’ve been reflecting over all week as my mother and I’s relationship has been taking a turn for the better. If only we could be knowledgeable of the truth in this as kids right ?!
Hey Mihaela, I’m really glad things are turning for the better between you two. The beauty is in the journey sometimes, even if the journey really tests your patience when you’re younger. Looking back, I don’t think you’ll regret choosing to see the humanity in your parents.
The relationship to parents is the most formative one to exist. At one point you really got to rebuild yourself from your own wishes and desires, cause one day you notice how helplessly limited your parents were in their own selves.
That’s why love is truly the only answer, because eventually you realize everyone is carrying limitations they never fully escaped.