When I read about my coauthor’s relationship with her parents, (Mother’s love – a right or a privilege) I realise how fortunate I am to get on so well with my parents and that perhaps I have taken them for granted.  I think it is quite common for family relationships to be strained or volatile and for the love to come with strings-attached, but my relationship with my parents has been completely the opposite.

When I was a younger woman I don’t think I appreciated my parents at all.  I resented the fact that they didn’t seem to expect anything of me at all and with a well-balanced view on life (that is a chip on both shoulders) I decided that this was because I was a girl and therefore my expected role was to get married and have babies.  End of story.  Having been to an all girls school run by a fiercely feminist head mistress, I really bucked the idea that my life would be defined by mother-hood, which is quite ironic given the fact that I have not produced any offspring at all.

Now that I have grown up somewhat and been able to dislodge the chip on each shoulder I understand that my parents didn’t have any expectations of me because they were happy for me to follow whatever path I chose and they were there quietly supporting me and cheering me on from the sidelines.  What an amazing gift of unconditional love.  They have never said a word about the fact that I have not given them any grandchildren, they have been proud of my achievements and success in business and sometimes embarrassed me by telling anyone who would listen of my successes.

There was never a lot of money in my parents house for extras, but what there  was always laughter and lots of love.  They have given me the best gift of all, fantastic memories of a very happy childhood. 

Although now quite elderly, I am blessed that my parents are still alive and so now I realise that I have an opportunity to let them know what great parents they have been and how much their support and encouragement has meant to me and how much it has shaped the woman I have become.  I have mentioned in previous posts about not wanting to have any regrets and I want to make sure that my parents know how much they are loved and appreciated while I still have the chance to tell them.