This weekend I got the chance to spend my parents’ anniversary with them. They stopped by my place and we just chilled and talked for a few hours, and it was really nice. That’s something we used to do a lot when I lived with them. We’d all pile into the living room or around the dining room table and just talk. Now don’t get me wrong, I love living by myself but there are times that I miss doing that. The trash-talking, joking and reminiscing always brings me to my happy place.
I was also reminded that no one can humble you faster than your parents or the kids in your life. My step-mom loves me to death and thinks my apartment is really cute, but that didn’t stop her from pointing out that my artwork was slightly crooked. She then took it upon herself to fix it, which is very reminiscent of how I was raised. My parents didn’t coddle me nor did they constantly scold me. They love me and want me to do well in life so they will let me know when I mess up, but then they’ll show me how to correct myself. Whether it’s something as simple as lining up wall art or a different valuable life lesson they keep me humble!
Now kids, on the other hand, are just brutally honest. My oldest nephew loves me deeply, but he quickly put me in my place when he was younger and he squeezed my arm fat and said: “it’s so soft and fluffy like a pillow”. Or when our ideas of a fun weekend don’t line up. I know they mean no harm as they let me know that podcasts and journaling are “BORING” and that they’d rather do something else. I mean I get it, when I was their age podcasts weren’t a thing and I definitely wasn’t trying to put my thoughts down in a journal at the age of 8.
They might leave me with my mouth hanging open in shock from their witty statements, but I wouldn’t change their humbling love at all.