This is a picture I received from my parents before my first son was born. I only get to see them maybe once a year because they are always busy with their lives and plans in other continents. My mother is finally somewhat of a ''stay at home wife'', and my father started a new career after retiring at age 65. He is 71 now and still practices English horseback riding on the weekends and during the week I hear he wakes up at 4 to start the morning workout exercises before heading off to work. He has been eating mostly raw as far as I can remember and I always admired his disciplined way of life even though we hardly spoke. Our relationship was always formal and I grew up being afraid of him most of the time. Now our infrequent conversations consist of topics like his republican stance, the current society, his beliefs, and brief moments back in time when I was a child. By the way, does anyone have a father that got Botox to remove wrinkles on the forehead? Anyone?!?!? Besides me?!?!? Didn't think so.
We were estranged for so many years, mostly due to my being the ''black sheep'' of the family but after my first born, the reconciliation process started. I talk to my mother through skype on most days and it took 3 years to be able to dig into deep conversation and build some form of a mother-daughter relationship. She mainly focuses on chit chatting with my sons and going into deep thought by herself as if she is watching a documentary online. I would guess that our web cam replaces one of her soap operas. We are like oil and vinegar. And when we laugh about something, I would say we are equivalent to the oil and vinegar that is well shaken followed by the separation soon after.
Even now she is still a bit of a stranger to me and I suffer in my heart because we missed out on so many aspects in each others lives but I am grateful that I have contact with her now. Now is all we have anyways, right?
