Chapter 1 Introduction

When reading about how the author talked about raising his parents at the very start of the chapter it got me thinking about my parents. The author says that raising a parent is "not something one readily or enthusiastically contemplate" To me this was surprising because ever since I was about 10 or 11 years old my Mother would always say to me and my sister, never put me in home when I'm old and senile. She herself worked in a nursing home at this time and would always say how sad it was that some of these people never get visits from their family and are lonely and depressed because they have no company. I, having visited her at work many many times felt the same way she did after seeing some of these elderly.

Ever since then, I have contemplated it and I would readily accept the responsibility just as my parents did when they had me. Personally, I would never put my parents into a nursing home. I realize that home care is very expensive but I would do whatever it would take so that I could take care of them. I think my mindset is this way because my Mother is from the Phillipines and nursing homes are a rarity there. The family takes care of the elderly without complain and would never think about sending them away.

It is funny to read about how much the author disliked going to Hebrew school but later jokingly thanks his Mother when he is able to find a hotel in Isreal because of the skills he learned in Hebrew school. I feel that I have been in that same situation so many times where I (in my head of course) thank my Mother and Father for all of the things they made me do that I did not want to do. As I get older, my appreciation for them only grows and I look back on experiences and think, "Oh, so that's why they made me do that".