The other day I was browsing Facebook and came across a post that my nephew had shared. It really took me back to when I was his age and I was instantly put into an odd predicament... I vividly remember exactly how he felt. But, at the same time, I know so much more about how life works now that I am a functioning member of adult society. I couldn't help it, I had to share some wisdom.
The post was a bright red image with a phrase from Harry Potter:
* Me when I turn 18 *
Parents: Do this.
Me: Dobby has no master. Dobby is a free elf.
Seriously, I remember that feeling like it was yesterday. My parents were always ragging on me telling me to do things that I just did not want to do. I know that as soon as I turned 18, I would finally be free and would not have to be their slave anymore. Life would be so much easier!
As we all know, it turns out that life as an adult is far from easy and once you realize the pain and suffering our parents endured to raise us, those feelings change fast. Here was my response to my nephew:
I am going to let you in on a little secret; one that you will not be able to understand or admit until you are older...
1. You feel this way now (as we all did at your age) because you don't have any responsibilities and everything you have has been given to you, for free.
2. After you are over 18 and have moved out, living on your own, you will realize how ungodly brutal the world is. You will have to work your ass off day after day and fight just to keep yourself fed, clothed and warm. Wake up, go to work, come home and go to bed, all just to do it again the next day.
3. One day, all of a sudden, you will realize just how hard life is and how hard your parents had to work to provide food, clothes and a roof over your head. You will also realize how hard of a time you gave them all those years (for me, I realized I was a terrible kid LOL).
From that point forward you will not ever be able to tell them "no" when they ask you to do something for them because all they had done for you.
What can I say? It's just the bare, honest truth. I figured I should share it with others because they might just get a kick out of bringing up all those old feelings as I did.