It is one thing to have a belief system and another to actually fight for it. Now this belief system could be anything - a religion, your job, love, parents, the best friend and so on and so forth.
Here in India, we abide by our parents for the most part of our lives - which is really respectable and important because they have life experiences beyond ours and can provide solutions to problems we can't even fathom at this moment. This is apart from the fact that they are our parents and we are taught from childhood that they are the only pillar we can lean against without having to reconfirm their support.
I myself love my folks to the extent that I can practically do anything for them. But as I am growing - both professionally and personally, I have begun thinking for myself, nurturing my own beliefs on the basis of my own personal experiences and emotions. There are times when differences occur because of these belief systems, times when arguments happen and times when either they or I storm out of the room or cut the long distance call mid way. But these are the exact times when we grow closer as a family. I try to explain things to them and vice versa. We then (try to) come to conclusions which are acceptable by everyone in the family.
Many times, family opinions are based on the societal culture of gasping and frowning at unconventional notions like moving away from engineering or medical sciences as a career choice, being in love, inter-caste marriages etc. It is then when you need to step up and bash this thought process. I am not asking you to leave or engage in a verbal spat - god no!! Rather, sit together, understand what they have to say and put your points forward. Be assured that there will be back firing simply because you can't expect them to change their opinions in one go, you have to make it subtle, warm them up to the idea of what you believe in is actually good for you. Because, in the end, all they care for is your happiness.
There is still a lot to say from my end but I can summarize in this Malcolm X quote:
"If you don't stand for something you will fall for anything".
Here in India, we abide by our parents for the most part of our lives - which is really respectable and important because they have life experiences beyond ours and can provide solutions to problems we can't even fathom at this moment. This is apart from the fact that they are our parents and we are taught from childhood that they are the only pillar we can lean against without having to reconfirm their support.
I myself love my folks to the extent that I can practically do anything for them. But as I am growing - both professionally and personally, I have begun thinking for myself, nurturing my own beliefs on the basis of my own personal experiences and emotions. There are times when differences occur because of these belief systems, times when arguments happen and times when either they or I storm out of the room or cut the long distance call mid way. But these are the exact times when we grow closer as a family. I try to explain things to them and vice versa. We then (try to) come to conclusions which are acceptable by everyone in the family.
Many times, family opinions are based on the societal culture of gasping and frowning at unconventional notions like moving away from engineering or medical sciences as a career choice, being in love, inter-caste marriages etc. It is then when you need to step up and bash this thought process. I am not asking you to leave or engage in a verbal spat - god no!! Rather, sit together, understand what they have to say and put your points forward. Be assured that there will be back firing simply because you can't expect them to change their opinions in one go, you have to make it subtle, warm them up to the idea of what you believe in is actually good for you. Because, in the end, all they care for is your happiness.
There is still a lot to say from my end but I can summarize in this Malcolm X quote:
"If you don't stand for something you will fall for anything".
