I should like to tell you about the revelation that dawned upon me in the twilight of my years. Sadly, the truths I uncovered were far from pleasant, but better late than never, as the saying goes.
It was only in old age that I finally understood why I found myself alone at the age of seventy. My children had not spoken to me for ten years, and my grandchildren scarcely knew I existed. How had it all come to pass?
It was because, only as an old woman, did I realise I had lived my life the wrong way, making choices and saying things that now fill me with regret. Alas, one cannot turn back the hands of time.
I always regarded my children as rather foolish, treating them as if they were hens that needed to be guided. I sought to teach them, to point them in the right direction, telling them how they should live. Whenever they faltered, I would highlight their missteps and utter my favourite saying: Had you listened to your mother, things might have turned out differently.
I could never resist interfering in their private lives and affairsI believed, in my arrogance, that without me they could accomplish nothing. Id let slip unkind remarks, sometimes even in public, in front of guests or relatives.
Naturally, over time, my children gradually drew away, until finally we became utter strangers. No one even told me when my granddaughter was born; I had to hear it from those who barely knew our family.
I reached out, called, even wrote letters, but all to no avail. My children only said, If were so foolish, perhaps youd prefer the company of cleverer folk. Why bother with us?
Now I have come to understand: children must always be treated as full-grown individuals, deserving of respect. They need a mother who listens, who supports, who bakes them a good pie and offers a warm cup of tea.
One mustnt meddle in their private affairs. It is their life to lead, their decisions to make as they go along their journey. Now, I live alone. And what worth has all my wisdom, if it leaves me with no one to share it?
Cherish your children, else youll find yourself lonely in your old age.
