Love from a parent can poses many forms such as quiet sacrifices, tough choices, and unspoken strength during the deepest times. In this article, we will collect 11 stories which remind us that this strength of love isn’t always loud or easy, but it’s deeply authentic. Each one displays the powerful connection between parents and their children, even when life takes unpredicted turns.
Story 1:
When I failed my first year at university, my parents didn’t get angry or upset. My mom sat down next to me while I was bawling my eyes out in shame, and hugged me until I calmed down. She said it wasn’t the end of my life, and that she was, and always will be, proud of me. © forgetful-giraffe / Reddit
Story 2:
For illustrative purpose only
My mom told me that no matter what I did, she’d always love me and be there for me. That didn’t mean she wouldn’t tell me when I messed up, because she did, but she’d help me work out whatever problem I made for myself, while still letting me learn a lesson.
That meant I always turned to her instead of some other teenagers when I was young and needed help. I was only minimally afraid to tell her when I did something wrong, and I never felt judged. Doing my best to build that same type of relationship with my own daughters. © actuallyidontthinkso / Reddit
Story 3:
Story 4:
My dad worked seven days a week, twelve hours a day, at two different hospitals for a large portion of my childhood. The man would get sick if he was on vacation; he called it “motionless sickness.” Somehow, he still managed to wake up several hours early and make me and my sister breakfast before school.
He was a strong believer in working hard and set so many examples for me while also being a child at heart. I don’t know how he did it, but I love him. © TurtleFisher54 / Reddit
Story 5:
My parents sacrificed their own pursuits, interests, time, hobbies, friends, and careers to invest in me as a child and young adult. Regardless of what they were doing, they made themselves available if I needed them.
They are extremely supportive in every endeavor of mine. They are quick to share their experiences and wisdom. They’ve never judged me or looked down on me when I had to learn a lesson the hard way (even if I did something against their advice). They have been teachers, guides, mentors, and friends. © Minimalcharges / Reddit
Story 6:
Story 7:
For illustrative purpose only
When I was little, we lived near a freeway. I asked my mom one time how far the freeway went, and where we would be if we just got on it and kept driving.
She had a map. Did she show it to me? Nope. She said, “Let’s see.”
We hopped in the car and drove for hours until we were both tired of it, THEN pulled out the map and found a route home along the shore of one of the US Great Lakes. This was in the 80s, before GPS or cellphones.
I was maybe 10, and she let me navigate home. She could have just told me or shown me on the map without leaving the couch, but she wanted me to know… © Panic_Azimuth / Reddit
