It took 19 years, but I finally said it – the words my mama once said to me: “One day you are going to have children of your own and then you will understand what I am talking about.”
And you will be sorry for the way you are acting today is the implied rest of the sentence.
Believe me, if you are a parent and haven’t uttered those words yet, you will, and when you do, you will have the most profound sense of déjà vu.
And you will think, “Now I know what my mama meant!”
And then an epiphany will hit, and you will frown and think, “Oh, my poor mama! She was right, and, boy, was I ever wrong!”
And then your teenager will look at you like you are stupid and say, “What are you talking about?”
And you will smile and nod, knowingly, because suddenly you get it. You have become the wise one. Now all you have to do is wait 19 years until she faces her daughter and hears those very words – words passed down through generations – come out of her own mouth.
And when they do, she will do exactly what you did today, and that is to shed some tears and then call your mama to tell her you are sorry.
And you will be sorry for the way you are acting today is the implied rest of the sentence.
Believe me, if you are a parent and haven’t uttered those words yet, you will, and when you do, you will have the most profound sense of déjà vu.
And you will think, “Now I know what my mama meant!”
And then an epiphany will hit, and you will frown and think, “Oh, my poor mama! She was right, and, boy, was I ever wrong!”
And then your teenager will look at you like you are stupid and say, “What are you talking about?”
And you will smile and nod, knowingly, because suddenly you get it. You have become the wise one. Now all you have to do is wait 19 years until she faces her daughter and hears those very words – words passed down through generations – come out of her own mouth.
And when they do, she will do exactly what you did today, and that is to shed some tears and then call your mama to tell her you are sorry.
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