Lessons taught by a prospective family member, translated…
In my son’s senior year, he’d met a girl his age, and they’d agreed, that after my son served his army terms, they will both head off abroad to study. And, right before my son’s about to be relieved of his duties in the armed services, all of a sudden, he’d told us, that his girlfriend’s parents hoped, that they can get engaged before they head off abroad.
After I’d heard, I thought that it was, something huge, after all, they are still, so very young, with no solid economic basis; and we are only, a regular nine-to-five family, and the money my husband and I earned are only enough, to send the two of them, siblings abroad, and, after they’d returned, they’d needed to use their own acquired skills to make a living for themselves. I’d thought, I would’ve totally, NEVER given the hand of my daughter to someone who’s still in school, plus, marriage is no child’s play, it’s the responsibilities and promises for an entire lifetime, and for the sake of my son’s girlfriend’s future, I’d made the request, to see the future in-laws, to understand what they’d wanted for their own daughter.
The day we met, I’d told the in-laws my worries, and, out of my expectations, as my future in-laws heard, she’d smiled and told me, that she’d wanted the kids to get engaged here, because if they are off abroad and something were to happen, then, it would allow them to handle each other’s affairs easily, as for whether or not a wedding ceremony is in the future, they will respect the kids’ decisions, and they are willing to put up the sum for their studies abroad too.
My future in-law also said, that my son went to their company to work in his senior year, and, she’d observed just how hard-working, responsible and truthful my son is through work and conversations, and that he’d not had any bad habits either, believed, that this, would be the best weapon he has, for entering into the workforce for the future, she believes, that so long as my son was willing to work hard, the future will be, no problem at all, plus, the younger generations should become self-reliant, they’d needed the trials to become, so, she felt at ease, giving her daughter to him, and told me to have faith in my own son too.
After hearing the words of my future in-law, it’d made me introspect again, and, I’d felt ashamed, for how little I’d used, to judge them from the start. Or maybe, we only see the faults of those who are closest to us, neglected their good qualities; only blames, but not willing to give them the applauses and encouragements. I’m truly grateful, for my future in-law’s taking my son in such high regards, and I’m also, in awe at my in-law’s open and optimistic attitude, I hope, that the kids can, take along all of these blessings we now have for them, and take that step outward bravely, and pursue the life that is fitting to become their own.
So, the mother was worried, that her own son couldn’t give the girl he loved what she needed, but, the future in-law had a different belief, she believed, that the children will find their own ways, no matter how hard or tough the times got, so long as they set their minds to it, and, the in-law was right, so parents, don’t underestimate your own young.