And who do I have to thank for this? Cliche as it may be, my parents. Despite the countless parenting errors they've made throughout the years (most of them, thankfully, with respect to my older siblings), they must have done something right along the way. Here I am, graduating from Cal and going on to an institute for higher education. Seriously, parents, good job. I can't imagine what it must be like, raising your children in a country and culture you are completely unfamiliar with, yet somehow they managed.
As graduation gets nearer, I'm increasingly tempted to do a reminiscent post about how much I've grown since I came to Cal, but more noteworthy is how much my parents have grown since I came to Cal. From the oppressive, overbearing control-freaks I left at home in August 2005, I now go home to relaxed, lenient parents who actually understand the concept of a two-way discussion about my future, trust my decisions and *dare I say it* acknowledge my independence. It's amazing how much they've adapted their parenting to my lifestyle. Whoever said you can't teach an old dog new tricks obviously hasn't seen the turnaround empty-nesting parents can do in four years. Not to give them more credit than they deserve, since relinquishing control over my life wasn't necessarily their choice, but still, they handled the power transfer gracefully, and to that I am grateful.
I'm grateful? What? Had I told the rebellious, 17-year-old me "you'll appreciate them four years from now," I would have laughed in my own face.
1 comment:
ditto on the whole thing.
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