My Parents Were Part of the Sacrifice Generation
May 25, 2020
Our parents can feel like our worst enemies, our heroes, and all that exists in between. They are our first exposure to love, and whether we like it or not, that sets a tone for how we seek love in the world. We all have that moment when we realized (or will soon realize) that they're just human beings, without all the answers, struggling to figure out their own sh*t. My parents grew up in villages made out of mud and brick, with no electricity, and were never granted the luxury of asking their own parents "why?" when they were told to do anything. As much as we struggle, feeling misunderstood by their generation, they're just as misunderstood by ours. There's a pressure that comes with trying to keep our parents happy, some of that is unwarranted on their part, some of it lives in our heads. That's something we have to address through communication, it won't be easy, but it can be worth it. For me, I just realized that it makes me happy to make them happy, but I don't really let them decide how I'm going to go about it. I do want to honour their sacrifices, not out of guilt, but out of inspiration, and I want to amplify their hustle, and not just match it. I don't think anything I can do, earn, or give will match the sacrifices they've made for me, but I'm having fun trying, and I encourage you to find the fun in it too.