My mother always said, “Be careful what you wish for”.
I never fully understood this concept because why on earth would you be careful what you wish for if you actually want it so badly that you wish for it?
Never made sense.
But quite recently, it hit me square in the face.
Since the early stages of being a teen, I wanted to move out of home and do my own thing.
This is probably every teen’s wish and we all get there, eventually.
Might feel like an eternity with your parents driving you insane with their “old-fashioned” and “uncool” ways.
Because really, what do they know about being a teenager and all the troubles it comes with, right?
So you endure the few years you’re “stuck” with your parents and you dream up all these fantasies about getting a place of your own and how cool it will be etc, etc.
So I got to move out and get a place of my own and, I won’t lie, it’s awesome.
Trying out all these fantasies for the first time, this is going to be amazing.
But I never imagined I would miss home as much.
All those free meals in the evening when you’re hungry and your washing that’s always done.
Seems like heaven now.
I used to complain when asked to bring all my washing to the washing machine because it was so much effort taking your dirty clothes all the way there.
When I was hungry at 6pm or 7pm, I just called out, “How long until the food is ready?”
When I think back to this, two words come to mind.
Ungrateful and spoiled.
I realised a little late in life how easy I had it.
It’s great being out of the house because you start building your own life, but you don’t get to have the luxuries of home.
Not only do I now have to take my washing to the washing machine, I also have to wash it, take it out, hang it up, iron it and put it away.
Sounds like fun? No.
Then you have to make food every night when you get home from work and you want some type of dinner your mother usually made.
And then I’ll stare at the stove for about half an hour thinking, “OK, how do I do this?”
Where do you start?
What did she do?
That’s when I hysterically get on the phone to mother dearest and she’ll calmly explain it step by step.
I put the phone down and get to it.
I got this.
So I do what she says and go on my merry way creating this spectacular dish.
End result, a big pile of something that resembles food in a way, but does not look anything close to what I imagined it to be.
Frustration sets in and crankiness follows.
Should probably just get a recipe book.
Then I thought I had something to complain about, having to do dishes about three times a week.
In hindsight, that was really not asking a lot.
I never could understand why she always had to complain about the state of my room.
All I had to do was keep my room tidy, make up the bed and open the windows so one could breathe in there every now and again.
The house was always clean, just my room that looked like a tornado hit it.
Moving out, I only then started to appreciate the work going into a clean house.
What a mission.
You wash the dishes, sweep the floor, wash the floor and do all that other hard slave labour stuff and you think, “Eureka!”
I have done it!
Turning around, there’s another cup in the basin, another something that grew feet and mysteriously found its way to the floor or just randomly standing around on the counter.
Back to square one.
It’s endless.
I never thought I would see the day where I go shopping and instead of saying, “I need a new straightener,” I say, “I need a vacuum”.
But, alas, I did see that day and I am going to see it again, because I still didn’t get the stupid vacuum.
I’d like to meet the person who said moving out of your parents’ house is the best and easiest thing ever and give him a piece of my mind.
After experiencing that, you feel a deep appreciation for your parents and all the years of hard work you took for granted.
Coming home and lounging on the couch is a thing of the past.
Laziness, you are very much missed.
Be careful what you wish for has never had a truer meaning than my experience of it.
Might be a silly example, but an example nonetheless.
That being said, it’s all definitely worth it.
