This is an old email, I resurrected, to my friend Aimee. I was working at a mind-numbing temp job in a finance office and my only source of inspiration and connection was emailing with Aimee. I walked by a man’s cubicle and saw a picture of a rainbow taped on his cubicle wall. The Crayola words read something like, “Dear Daddy, You and Mommy are the best parents in the whole world.” I recalled my own love notes to my mom when I was a kid and all the resentment I now harbored toward my parents. But at the time it was, “I love you so so so much” and “I can’t wait to see you and our baby (my brother) after school.” That got me thinking: today it’s the rainbow and tomorrow (or in several years) it’s “Dear Daddy, you and Mommy ruined my life. I hate you!”
When you’re a kid your parents walk on water. Whether or not they deserve it, you idealize them until you slowly understand what the heck really went down. I don’t have kids but I thought about how hard that must be for parents, especially ones that earnestly tried to be supportive and loving parents … one day it’s all over and they hate your guts, or at the very least they are painfully embarrassed of you. If things weren’t too dysfunctional, give it another ten or so years and you will hopefully be back in the good graces.
Deep thoughts. You’re welcome. 🙂
