Life's Journey: Part II

Excerpt from “Life’s Journey: A Retrospective Commentary” Copyright © 2010
(Edited for 2014)

PARENTS

I’ve observed we more often than not rebel…then model…our lives after our parents. As much as we might have disdain for how we were sculpted growing up, we inevitably gravitate towards being more like them than not. We often choose different paths and make many choices they never would…still our core tenets are eerily similar.

My dad modeled some pretty interesting—albeit dysfunctional—guidelines for me. He had a penchant for the ladies and it came back to haunt him on more than several occasions. His desire for acceptance by way of suave flirtations shaped my way of thinking about relationships more than I realized at the time. By the time my testosterone began to kick in I simply followed suit…being more dorky than charming notwithstanding. Experiencing how difficult it was for my inhibited, passive personality to accomplish what appeared so easy for him simply built up an admiration for his talent. It would take decades for me to realize my true personality was all I needed without the charade of all that false masculinity.

My mom was a great caretaker and go-getter. If a job needed to get done, by golly she’s was the one to put in charge of the task. It was interesting to observe her many years later as a grandmother; she displayed a deep love and affection for all her grandkids and I can’t help but feel she wasn’t quite that way when my sister and I were growing up. Maybe she was and my memories just didn’t stick…or perhaps she wasn’t quite the same person due to so much else going on in her life. Whatever the reason, I can’t seem to remember the same caring relationship she clearly developed with my own kids.

Bottom line…I’m ok with it all. I was basically raised right and I appreciate my parents all the more now that I’ve gone through parenting myself for the last 28 years. My mom and dad have since passed but I enjoy a close relationship with my wife and kids...due in large part to having Christian parents that guided my onto the right and righteous path.

Additional excerpts from “Life’s Journey: A Retrospective Commentary” © 2010 will be published in future postings.

Greg Morton
Copyright © October 2014