One thing I know, even without something like 'Eleanor's' traumatic experience, most children carve out space within where their parents can never see. And parents do the same to their children. Both are shielding, not sharing that space that they don't want to burden those they love with, that they think cannot be understood! Most everyone is left feeling shut out I think, and they probably are.
That's a pretty profound insight, Frank. As I think of my 15 year old son now even, there are whole parts of his life that I'm not privvy too. He's not "hiding" per se, rather doing exactly as he should - starting to have his own life. As a parent I carry both the soft pride of watching him grow and become more and more his own self, and the sweet sadness of knowing less...
One thing I know, even without something like 'Eleanor's' traumatic experience, most children carve out space within where their parents can never see. And parents do the same to their children. Both are shielding, not sharing that space that they don't want to burden those they love with, that they think cannot be understood! Most everyone is left feeling shut out I think, and they probably are.
That's a pretty profound insight, Frank. As I think of my 15 year old son now even, there are whole parts of his life that I'm not privvy too. He's not "hiding" per se, rather doing exactly as he should - starting to have his own life. As a parent I carry both the soft pride of watching him grow and become more and more his own self, and the sweet sadness of knowing less...