an excerpt from an erma bombeck column after she found out she was dying of cancer entitled ‘if i had to life my life over”

“… I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage. I would have talked less and listened more. I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded. I would have eaten the popcorn in the ‘good’ living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace. … I would have sat on the lawn with my kids, even if it meant grass stains.”

there comes a point when your child is all grown up and it’s time to stop treating them like a kid and more of a peer/adult. i think when your kid has graduated from college, gotten married, and even owns her own home, the whole parenting role is kind of over. your kid is who they are going to be. there’s no point in continually correcting them/criticizing them on how they should behave.

seriously! i can’t even have a conversation with my mom without her correcting my vietnamese. ARGH.

a few days ago, my mom flew over to visit me at the last minute because she was able to find cheap tickets. unfortunately, the departure time for that flight was at 6 AM. since my dad was already here, she was left with asking a family friend to drive her to the airport at 4 AM. she felt very bad and profusely thanked the friend. the friend told her that they were good friends and that she should not feel bad for asking a friend to do a favor. he was happy to help her out and that that was what friends do for each other.