Today while I was talking to my dad about writing my personal narrative he started to suggest some things that came to his mind that maybe I could write about that seemed like experiences that were predominant and life changing that we had shared. We got on the topic of our Europe trip that we took with the high school band. He was speaking of all the great experiences that I had while I was over in Austria, Germany, and Italy. He spoke of how specific moments where I didn't realize he saw some in the light he did were important to him. For instance all of the different ways of living we saw in the different towns he saw it as an early look on life in a different country. I saw it as another stop on the trip though interesting, not as superb as his views on it. This went on for some time. Then I started to process how, I really wish I could have been on that trip now, it would have been a completely different experience.
For my father his experience consisted of riding on a bus alone with people he had never met so he could accompany his son to a different continent for his first time. He had traveled before so he knew the little ins and outs of the world. He saw it as a great father son trip and he was extremely glad to go on it with me. On the other hand I saw it as a trip with my friends also to spend with my dad but it just didn't appeal to me because I couldn't have the freedom to do something outside of the schedule. I just found it interesting how the same moment has such a different impact on different people even my father and myself who are very close.
Interesting thought. Many times, teenagers aren't grateful for what they have (i.e. a father). While you may have seen your father as a nuisance, he saw it as a valuable bonding experience. I think that this occurs a lot with high schoolers. They want freedom but their parent just has to tag along. What a lot of kids don't realize is how lucky they are to have an involved parent or how valuable that time is. Eventually, they'll die. It is a part of life and you will find yourself regretting the lack of time you spent with them. This made me think a lot about the fishing/hunting trips my Dad and I would take. We were cooped up together for hours on end and many times I found myself wanting to get away. Instead, I should have been cherishing that moment because it wont be around forever. In fact, my Dad would say that he had a lot of fun and sometimes I hated it. Very different experiences.
ReplyDeleteGeez, Dube, morbid thought there. But I understand what you are getting at. Yes, our parents die, which is a strange thought to teenagers. I had a similar experience to what Jeff had when I went to France with my mother just after 8th grade and looking back on it, I really didn't absorb or take advantage of my awesome situation. Then when my mom talks about things we did that I really don't recall, I give her this weird look like "what trip were you on?" Anyway, I believe everyone experiences something like this were a child is too young to completely appreciate something the way an adult or parent would. What someone can learn though is to appreciate the next thing that comes along. Perhaps another trip with a parent if one is so lucky.
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