Day 8: Parents

Parents

I can definitely say that age has given me a new found respect for my parents. They have their faults, still, and they drive me crazy on a regular basis but I've grown to understand them a lot more than I would have ever expected to. There will always be a difference between the parent and the child regardless of what age you all are so I'll never truly understand parenthood until I am a parent myself but I know age allows that parent / child bond to be much stronger, if you allow it. 

One of my biggest issues growing up was dealing with one parent who was understanding, talkative rather than aggressive, and generally laid back and easy to talk to while the other was the exact opposite. I was always more like my father, personality wise, but I mirrored my mother in habits and with my approach to things. I was a combination of both of them. I always wanted an easy going relationship with my mother but I never had it. Growing up I knew that it would take me being grown, out of the house, paying my own bills, and being 100% self-sufficient before our relationship could be what I wanted it to be. I was a smart kid because to this day, I still believe it's true. Every year our relationship is better and better but there are still aspects of living with your mother that can be beyond frustrating. I've never lived with my father so our relationship is different from my mom and I. Nevertheless, they both have their issues but getting older has given me a much better perspective. 

I hope to be a parent that's a combination of the best of both of my parents. They've both taught me so much about life and have given me such a great foundation, I just hope that I can take all of the good things and invest them into my own children.