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Life has a funny way of making things happen. Have you ever been in a situation where you go: “Oh! Lord! Why me? Why me?” and then moments later, you thank your creator for the wonderful blessing? Sometimes, challenges are blessings in disguise.
I grew up under the watchful eyes of strict parents, so I can totally relate when people say growing up with strict parents can be challenging. My parents were like a coin. On one side they showed us (their kids) their friendly side, and on the other side, they showed us how strict they could get when we go beyond our boundaries.
Growing up, I wasn't allowed to do a lot of things. I started playing following when I was a kid, but my parents never allowed me to play football with other kids in the street. We had a big football stadium in our street. The street stadium. Every day when I go to school I see kids play football on the field. I was so jealous of them because it was like they were enjoying a luxury I couldn't afford. I remember the day I got into big trouble because I snuck out to play football in the street stadium. I was in primary 4 (Grade 4) at that time. My siblings and parents weren't at home. I don't remember why they left me alone at home, but I do remember that I was alone in the house. About 30 minutes after they had all left, an idea came to my mind. “Your parents aren't around, why not go do what you've always wanted?” I'm sure it was the Devil's voice.
I snuck out of the house and went to the field. When I got there, I got to know that you have to pay a sum of money before you can play in a set. I don't remember the amount I paid, but it was chicken change. I got into a set and started playing. Everything was going fine until about 2 hours later when I saw my parent's car pass. I came back to my senses. Suddenly, I started sweating profusely. I was already sweating before but it got intense. I picked up my slippers and ran with all the strength I had in me. I passed a shortcut so I could get home before my parents, but I was too late. At that point, I knew I was in trouble. I thought about running away from my parent’s house and start living in an uncompleted building. Silly me!
Somehow, I summoned courage and went inside. It wasn't until I entered the house that I remembered that I didn't lock the door before sneaking out. In fact, I left it widely open. Immediately I stepped into the house, my mom was already behind the door. She closed the door while my dad grabbed me. That was the day I received the beating of my life. After they were done beating me, they left me on the floor to think about my life. At that point, I wished they were not my parents. I wished that I wasn't in a strict family. I felt like my parents were overly mean and unfair. However, as I grew older I realized the beauty of all that they had been teaching me since I was a kid. I gained a different perspective and realized that my parents’ strict attitudes were a blessing in disguise.
Their rules guided and protected me. I grew up in a street filled with louts and uncultured kids. If my parents had allowed me to go out and with them, I would probably have mixed with them. Now that I'm a young adult, my parents' rules and teachings are still helping me. University is a free place. It is a place where you're free to do anything without the consent of your parents. You can choose to go clubbing from morning till night and forget about your studies. You can choose to not write exams and move with the “big boys.” anything you do is totally up to you. My parents' rules are keeping me from going astray. I can boldly say that I was brought up in the proper way unlike today's youth that lack proper home training.
Thanks for reading.
