I heard a lovely story at the dentist this morning. I was chatting with the dental assistant about my dad passing away in May. She told me that her dad passed away last year. He lived into his 70s and his mom died when she was 100. He told her once “I can’t believe I’m 75 and still getting yelled at by my mom.” We chuckled about that, a shared feeling of still being a child.
The story touched me because I think it encapsulates being a parent so well. And being a child so well. The relationship (when it’s good) never ends. It grows and blossoms and you may even become best friends along the way. But the parent child dynamic never really goes away.
From birth a parent is programmed to care for and look out for their babies, at every stage of their lives. And babies are programmed to look to their parents for guidance, love, and support. They may grow up and become more independent but on some level will still crave those things.
I can’t think of a greater compliment to be 90 and to have my boys say I’m still “yelling” at them. Because it would mean that I’m still involved. That I still care. And that they know how very precious they are to me.
