You were small, and you cried every time you fell. Every bruised knee, de-skinned elbow, broken bone had you bawling. And the older you got, the more people around you said for progressively severe injuries "Big girls (or boys) don't cry when they get hurt".
And they were right. You fall down and tear a knee ligament enough to make you scream, enough to make the doctor that saw you want to give you a pain-killing injection. But cry you didn't, however bad you were hurt.
They never tell you that pain is not caused only by open wounds.
They told you that big girls and boys don't get scared of sleeping alone, when you demanded to be admitted to the same bed as the parents.
And they were right. You got adjusted to new-found freedom, the ability to stay up late as much as you wanted.
They never tell you you will hate to sleep alone.
They said you would learn from your mistakes, and that you would face them like a grown up.
And they were right. You find it easier to raise your hand now and say, "My mistake. Sorry."
They never tell you that your mistakes will be progressively more expensive.
The one thing you were always told was to Never Trust Strangers.
And they were right. It will pay for you to be cynical and suspicious of people who appear to be nice, for people will take advantage of you.
They never tell you that sometimes they - and you - could be completely wrong.
And they were right. You fall down and tear a knee ligament enough to make you scream, enough to make the doctor that saw you want to give you a pain-killing injection. But cry you didn't, however bad you were hurt.
They never tell you that pain is not caused only by open wounds.
They told you that big girls and boys don't get scared of sleeping alone, when you demanded to be admitted to the same bed as the parents.
And they were right. You got adjusted to new-found freedom, the ability to stay up late as much as you wanted.
They never tell you you will hate to sleep alone.
They said you would learn from your mistakes, and that you would face them like a grown up.
And they were right. You find it easier to raise your hand now and say, "My mistake. Sorry."
They never tell you that your mistakes will be progressively more expensive.
The one thing you were always told was to Never Trust Strangers.
And they were right. It will pay for you to be cynical and suspicious of people who appear to be nice, for people will take advantage of you.
They never tell you that sometimes they - and you - could be completely wrong.


