Parental Dissonance VIII

"Weight" by Ian Watts "I will not be the man you meant to raise," He grim averred. "Your expectations chafe And stifle how I've grown and learned in days Since youth; Not mine to keep your heirlooms safe. "Did my novitiate not fulfill your wish? My filial duty: tell you sacramental Black is white, teach …

Parental Dissonance VII

"You Can Always Come Home" by Aryeh Barasch I remember the first time I got into a real argument with my parents. It wasn’t too explosive of an argument, but I remember clearly that it was about religion. The idea of religion, which is a way that we are supposed to choose to live our …

Parental Dissonance VI

"The Best Damn Garbage Man" by Mo David I think I'm gonna kill myself. That's what’s going through my head as I’m getting dropped off for my first day of seventh grade. My mom puts our clunky, dilapidated minivan in park and continues with her speech, unaware of the tornadoes circling inside my brain. "So …

Parental Dissonance V

"Pursuit of Happiness?" by Neka Barrera “You've decided to live your life a certain way. You're an adult (maybe) and have chosen your way to be, your pursuit of happiness. Your parents are either super supportive, or... Less than. You may not see eye to eye. How has it affected you? Do you feel guilt? …

Parental Dissonance IV

"The Cost of a Free Spirit" by Connor Kreger Allow me to offer you a cliché perspective, one that you’ve probably heard before and perhaps you can even relate to yourself. I’ve always thought that the main difference between my parents and myself is that I’m more of a “free spirit.” My parents are relatively …

Parental Dissonance III

"August 23rd" by Ola Faleti In my dream the sky is a permanent deep blue. And in my dream I am the harried writer with pens and thoughts falling out of my pockets. In my dream I am 2 years out of an MFA. In my dreams I get coffee every month with Junot Diaz. …

Parental Dissonance II

"Inverted Bell Curve" By Patrick Delehanty No relationship in my life has brought me greater joy, deeper sadness, bigger smiles, or more tears than the one I have with my parents. All of these emotions happen on very natural and universal levels to which we can all relate but are unique to the lives to …

Parental Dissonance

I've always wondered at the dissonance we experience between how our parents want us to live our lives, and how we actually want to live them. Growing up in a religious household, I often felt as though I was simply going through the motions and not living a life I was proud of. The residual …