Sometimes One Has To Distance Himself From Prying Eyes To Become Familiar With Oneself
Judy Ramsook
February 07, 2006
Sometimes in life one learns things about him or herself depending on his experiences and or travels. For example, when I was growing up in Trinidad, just about everywhere I went on that island people knew who I was because they were familiar with my father and what he did. (He's a retired Court Prosecutor)
At times that became sort of annoying because on some days I would be out with friends or cousins without letting my parents know where I was going. Returning home though was an entirely different matter.
When that happened, it turned out that at least one of my parents would have already had knowledge of my whereabouts because some one who knew them and me had already informed them of where they had seen me. To avoid any future arguments after a few such circumstances, I began telling my parents where I was going and with whom.
It was a refreshing change for me upon discovering otherwise from being able to get away from that island for a while. That change was being able to take yourself to a place in which no one knew who you were and since they did not know that, they did not care.
I felt free to go wherever I wanted (within reason of course) and with whomever without feeling some one was always watching me.
In addition, I began to learn new things about myself. Things I would not have otherwise come to be aware of had I not left the scrutiny of prying and watchful eyes.
These were not complex or complicated things. They were little things such as having the free will and bravado to walk out to the bus stop and wait the form of public transportation without having to worry that some one who knew me or one of my parents would tell somebody that they saw me wherever.
I was elated. For the first time in my life, I felt as if the microscope had been lifted. Of course the only way you would understand what it’s like to feel so free is to be in a similar situation as mine was.
There was no one around to question the persons I chose to hang out with. That alone was a refreshing change. For before I even arrived home, I felt relieved that I did not have to rehearse in my mind all the answers to those kinds of questions.
Such things as, who is your friend’s father, what does he do for a living, where did you meet this individual and so on. Sometimes it felt more like an interrogation.
Young people deserve some freedom but along with that freedom should also be a certain amount of trust and responsibility.
Trust from one’s parents so such young persons will feel more confident and secure with what they are doing and where they are going. Along with that there is also responsibility.
Responsibility taught to them by their parents or guardians about right, wrong, when to stand their ground, when to walk away and when to exercise common sense and good judgment.
Knowing you are loved and cared for is good, but too much protection and sheltering can leave one sometimes feeling as if he does not know him or herself as well as he should.
Sometimes some one has to step away from those watchful eyes so he can take a long look at himself in the mirror in order to become familiar with that person looking back at him or her. And if one’s parents did a pretty good job of raising you, they will not get nervous everytime their telephone rings.
At times that became sort of annoying because on some days I would be out with friends or cousins without letting my parents know where I was going. Returning home though was an entirely different matter.
When that happened, it turned out that at least one of my parents would have already had knowledge of my whereabouts because some one who knew them and me had already informed them of where they had seen me. To avoid any future arguments after a few such circumstances, I began telling my parents where I was going and with whom.
It was a refreshing change for me upon discovering otherwise from being able to get away from that island for a while. That change was being able to take yourself to a place in which no one knew who you were and since they did not know that, they did not care.
I felt free to go wherever I wanted (within reason of course) and with whomever without feeling some one was always watching me.
In addition, I began to learn new things about myself. Things I would not have otherwise come to be aware of had I not left the scrutiny of prying and watchful eyes.
These were not complex or complicated things. They were little things such as having the free will and bravado to walk out to the bus stop and wait the form of public transportation without having to worry that some one who knew me or one of my parents would tell somebody that they saw me wherever.
I was elated. For the first time in my life, I felt as if the microscope had been lifted. Of course the only way you would understand what it’s like to feel so free is to be in a similar situation as mine was.
There was no one around to question the persons I chose to hang out with. That alone was a refreshing change. For before I even arrived home, I felt relieved that I did not have to rehearse in my mind all the answers to those kinds of questions.
Such things as, who is your friend’s father, what does he do for a living, where did you meet this individual and so on. Sometimes it felt more like an interrogation.
Young people deserve some freedom but along with that freedom should also be a certain amount of trust and responsibility.
Trust from one’s parents so such young persons will feel more confident and secure with what they are doing and where they are going. Along with that there is also responsibility.
Responsibility taught to them by their parents or guardians about right, wrong, when to stand their ground, when to walk away and when to exercise common sense and good judgment.
Knowing you are loved and cared for is good, but too much protection and sheltering can leave one sometimes feeling as if he does not know him or herself as well as he should.
Sometimes some one has to step away from those watchful eyes so he can take a long look at himself in the mirror in order to become familiar with that person looking back at him or her. And if one’s parents did a pretty good job of raising you, they will not get nervous everytime their telephone rings.
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