Idiosyncrasies and Acquired Character
Post:
Whether you want to be like your parents or not, you always have much more in common with them than you think. Their characters become part of your character. Where do you think your quirks come from? Some of your best qualities as well as what you'd might consider flaws? Our parents are our greatest teachers because they're our mirrors. Next time you're complaining about something that your parents do that drives you up a wall, think about whether that is something that you'd like to change about yourself. Because you can't change them, but you can change yourself.
My parents, Boyfriend and I were having dinner last night, and as I went to cut my corn off the cob, my mother asked me, "Where and why did you learn to do that?" Everyone else was picking up their corn cobs and just eating the corn directly.
"Oh, I do that because I don't like the corn in my teeth. I saw someone do it at a dinner party somewhere, and thought it was a good idea."
Mom declared, "I always wondered about that, because you didn't get it from us."
Dad concluded, "So you just pick up random idiosyncrasies from people?"
Not sure that cutting my corn off the cob suffices as a random idiosyncrasy, but whatever. "If they seem like a good idea. But I carry a paper towel in my hand everywhere I go - because you do."
My dad smiled at himself and chuckled. "Well, I got that from your grandmother, she always had to have a tissue in her sleeve."
What are your parentally-acquired idiosyncrasies..uh, I mean, character traits?
Comments
ha!
i love this post. oh, shell & lynida. "you didn't learn that from US!" ha ha ha ha...
one of the things i realize that i picked up from dad is my add. when there's something on that i'm trying to listen to, i get so angry if someone else is making noise. i actually used to snap at people to be quiet, until i realized that's what dad did and it used to drive me crazy. now i realize it's not that important to hear, and i'd rather not get angry about it.
EGAD!!!! Where do I start...?????
Trust me when I say that there is not enough room on your blog for me to list my "parentally acquired idiosyncrasies/character traits." I am who I am....for good or bad. It's true that the apple really does not fall far from the tree, whether we want it to roll far away or not! :)
As for changing...hmmm...much easier to do when you are younger. What is interesting is that as you get older, you don't realize that you've become your mother and/or father!!! It just happens....just like getting old. One day, you just are! Young people start to call you "Mam," or give up a seat so you can sit down. You don't feel old, but you are. Same with acquiring our "not so wanted parental traits." One day people notice that you just have them! So the bottom line is, we can attempt change and sometimes succeed, but we are who we are because of our parents and our life experiences. Therefore, make wise choices...surround yourself with the positive and hope for the best!!
Not enough therapy in the world.
Too many to list! From cooking to plumbing, I have weird little habits I acquired growing up. Everyone in our family interrupts, but only the women get pissy about it. And on a larger scale, I am compulsively self-reliant; I want to do everything myself and would rather spend hours laboring over some project than ask for help. But as I get older and my priorities shift, I find myself relaxing and trying not to do some things just because that's how I've always done them. My parents, natch, are not comfortable with this! It's an interesting dynamic, sometimes much easier to see in others than in yourself. Good for you for being mindful enough to notice!
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