I let this intrusive thought of mine win!
I shared a little something too personal with my mom, thinking that she is the “cool mom.” Fast forward to an hour later, and I’m getting a lecture on a topic I didn’t even know could be something lectureable!
It all started innocently enough. We were sitting at the dinner table, and I thought, “Hey, let’s treat Mom like a friend.” Bad idea. Really bad idea. In my thoughts, she had become the mom from TV shows who’s all like, “You can tell me anything!” So, I took the bait and decided to share a little something personal.
Big mistake. Huge.
The moment the words left my mouth, her face changed. It was like I had activated “Lecture Mode.” Her eyes widened, and I swear I saw a twinkle that screamed, “Ah, a teaching moment!” And remember, this isn’t just any mom. This is an Indian mom who also happens to be a teacher. She has a Ph.D. in giving lectures.
At first, she was calm. “Oh really?” she said, leaning in with interest. Then, it escalated faster than I could keep up. Suddenly, she was on a roll, dishing out advice like she was on some motivational speaking circuit. I got a full-blown TED Talk at the dinner table. She was covering topics I didn’t even know were relevant. I was sitting there, fork in hand, wondering how we went from “Hey Mom, guess what?” to “Let me tell you about the intricacies of life, the universe, and everything in between.”
I tried to cut in, “But Mom, I—”. “Listen, you need to understand,” she interrupted, not missing a beat. “When I was your age…”
Here we go. The classic “when I was your age” line. She brought out stories from her youth, warnings, and lessons, and even managed to throw in a bit of science, I think. It was like she had been preparing for this moment her entire life. And being a teacher, she was well-equipped to turn any situation into an educational opportunity.
After what felt like an eternity (but was probably only thirty minutes), she finally wound down. I sat there, mentally exhausted and slightly dazed. My dinner was cold, my appetite was gone, and I had a newfound appreciation for not oversharing. I retreated to my room, flopping onto my bed dramatically. I felt a mix of frustration and humor. Did that really just happen? I thought I would share a tiny piece of my life. Little did I know I would get a full-blown seminar.
Reflecting on it later, I realized a few things. One, my mom probably thought she was being helpful. Two, maybe I needed to be more strategic about what I shared. And three, I needed to remember that while my mom is great, she’s not always my best option for everything. Looking back, it’s kind of funny. I can laugh about it now, and I’ve learned a valuable lesson. Sharing is good, but knowing your audience is crucial. Or, you know, just keep things light and save myself from another impromptu lecture.
Until next time, Adios amigo!
Just like this incident, I have a lot of thoughts on people’s attitudes. You can read about another such incident HERE!
