The Rebel or Innocent
They believed we were in good hands. that we were the ones who had it all. Most beloved. the most popular. They thought we never required assistance. However, they miss the point. Being the youngest member of the family leads to a number of false assumptions and misunderstandings. I won’t bother my parents at all. They have faith that I will not commit any wrongdoing. They trust me a lot because they believe I can do it.
It is expected of me to always know what to do and never require direction. They are so worn out from raising my older siblings that they just want a break from worrying that it feels like I have to be perfect. I can recall watching my older siblings navigate their adolescence, each making their own mistakes and gaining knowledge from them. By the time it was my turn, there was an implicit expectation that I should already be aware of my mistakes and avoid them.
However, if I am not permitted to stumble occasionally, how can I learn? Because I am the youngest, I had to use a lot of references to live. I had to learn from the successes and failures of my siblings. Although I had to watch them to determine my path, this did not make it any easier for me. I get the impression that someone else has already taken each step I take. It’s like trying to make my mark in someone else’s shadow while living a life that has already been…
