A Trip Together

People say going on a trip with friends may break or make a friendship - well, it does the same to families!

It has been a wild trip to Japan in the past week, a trip with conflicting emotions, many intense moments, and frustrating conversations. It is definitely a trip to remember.

Maybe just for me, though.

People remind us that as we grow up, our parents grow old.

I've always known this, but looking at how ageing has taken a toll on my parents’ bodies, has been tough to accept.

Sure, they are not exactly old yet - I also think so! But with our physique and them starting their fitness journey a little too late (during COVID so just maybe 3 years in), the body and joints have begun to malfunction.

It is a hard pill to swallow.

Watching them limp. Watching their legs shake. Watching them wince in pain. Watching them hesitate to stand and to sit.

I am constantly in 2 modes: I feel awful, but also frustrated that they just give up and don't listen.

It is not as evident here because we hardly do any activities together. We say we should, but someone ends up feeling lazy. We are always home, and Dad often uses his heater to ensure blood circulation.

The weather in Japan was brutal, and add on stubborn parents who underestimated the weather and didn't follow instructions on how to layer their clothes……… boy, it was so fucking frustrating.

It's like we were constantly in the mode of “told you so…” while still feeling the ache of them in pain.

The constant double emotions. The conflicting emotions.

This was why I've repeated that we don't ever need a vacation together to bond. We just want different things during a trip.

They are all about luxury - it didn't matter that they were cooped up in the room for 2 days. But us? We flew 8 hours and took 4 hours to travel down on land, the hell will we just start in the room?!

In fact, this trip made me loathe him a little. Just not doing anything was annoying.. And then there's the person who babies him. Goodness. It's how they've functioned all these years, but watching it now at how he is just around existing uselessly was extremely annoying.

Doesn't pack his own bag, but complains when the things he wants isn't there. Couldn't pick his breakfast because his hands just cannot. Made unnecessary comments about how he didn't decide what he wanna eat, but chose the same damn thing anyway. And just… standing there when she does most of the things.

I mean…

I don't want something like that. Ever.

Please, G.Y.M.