Saturday, July 25, 2009

Youth is like pristine glass.

All parents damage their children. It cannot be helped. Youth, like pristine glass, absorbs the prints of its handlers. Some parents smudge, others crack, a few shatter childhoods completely into jagged little pieces, beyond repair.
I read this in a book four times. I tried to memorize it but I could not. I could not believe this. I could not believe that this could possibly be true. Could this possibly be true?
I believe it.
I'm sure most parents mean the best, after all, they are only trying to protect their children, to guard them. But still, they can smudge. There are other parents. Parents who smudge, crack, shatter, who do all of the above. I am not sure why parents do such things. I am not sure why it can't be helped. I am sure only smudges are left on my glass. And yours?

4 comments:

  1. I'm sure mine is shattered, they like to say its my fault.

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  2. if none of our glass was cracked or smudged or jagged, wouldn't they just all be the same?

    and then... there would be no one terribly inspiring, like yourself.

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  3. I guess that even if a childhood is cracked and smudged, and even if it's shattered into a million tiny pieces, there's still the hope in knowing that although it's definitely not going to be easy, it is still possible to put things back together again.

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  4. What book is this from? I think we have to remember parents are only human. Just because you have a baby you don't suddeny become this perfect being incapable of jealousy, mistakes, selfishness, or imbalanced moods. I am wary about having my own children someday because there is so much responsibility on you for how emotionally developed or hindered they will be.

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