My parents

Growing up my father was my foil and I jousted with him. He was an intellectual who was well read on a whole host of subjects and I would test my mettle against his ideas. Having lost his own father young no doubt affected his ability to connect emotionally since he was forced to grow up so fast.

Hence my mother became my emotional support even as her tendency to sometimes go into histrionics frustrated me. Today at 87 she has become even more childlike in both good and bad ways.

I have tended to analyze what made my parents into the people they were. Their birth during a time of austerity and hardship was certainly an integral part of their education which helped give me discipline but also hampered my ability to readily connect with an inner self looking for redemption regarding who I was; for God was watching in judgement.

Religion does not always serve people well of course especially the kind well doused with unyielding and insufferable orthodoxy which leaves little room for man-made dictates of non-conformance.