Sometimes the heaviest thing to carry is other people’s expectations.
Unhappiness = reality – expectations
In particular, many are saddled with the expectations of those who have brought them up, or who have guided them into adulthood (or not).
Where I come from, there is an expectation to look after our elders.
The “old folks home” is reserved for those who do not have children, or those whose uncaring offsprings have abandoned them.
As a filial daughter, I accept this and am grateful for an opportunity to repay my parents for everything they’ve done for me.
What about those whose parents have neglected and/or abused them?
Are they expected to welcome their abusers into their homes, simply because they are now infirm or suffering from cancer or other ailments?
What about those whose parents sacrificed their lives for their children’s education, forcing them into doing a degree they are not suited for?
Of course life is much more nuanced than I can depict in a two-panel illustration and a LinkedIn post.
However, a number of #suicides happen because many have felt unable to live up to the expectations of others.
As a parent, I am extremely conscious about this, and I make it known to my ninjas that they owe us nothing.
My job is to give them:
Roots – so they know where they come from, and
Wings – so that they can fly.
Their life is theirs alone.
They owe us nothing.
Perhaps that’s the best gift I can give them.
