Oprah says it best, it's amazing when you reach life's Ah-Ha moments. The things that we learn as we age can be life altering. Often you look back and wonder... "how was I so dense?" Then there are always those moments of clarity where you think.... "now how can I un-learn this?
Redditor u/xXRealMWXx wanted to compare notes on life lessons by asking.... What did you not understand as a kid, but you now understand as an adult?
There is an Ah-ha Moment!
GiphyYou wouldn't care what people thought of you if you knew how seldom they think of you. lilmisssuccubus
Thanks Alanis....
The Alanis Morissette lyric "You're my best friend / best friend with benefits" from "Head Over Feet." I told my parents that my best friend was my best friend with benefits when I was like 8, and they laughed hysterically and I just assumed it's because they weren't cool and into Alanis' music and didn't understand that it clearly meant "super best friend." And in a way I guess it does mean that. bripatrick
Ho-Ho... NO.
That my parents couldn't just double the presents this Christmas if I tell them it's okay to not do anything for next Christmas. Maplemore
Alright Johnny, it's time we had a talk about Time Value of Money. ofthedove
Left, Right and Sideways....
The whole "my right vs. your right" thing confused the heck out of me as a preschooler. I knew my own lefts and rights but when my mom was facing me and used to say "my right isn't the same as your right." I learned to just do the opposite of what she looked like. Problem is this led to me thinking that the difference was because of AGE, so kid's lefts and rights were the opposite of adult's lefts and rights. So somehow I got the idea in my head that when you turned 21 your lefts and rights switched (I have no clue why I specifically thought 21, I had this image in my head of blowing out 21 candles and everyone saying congratulations and you get some kind of certificate to officially switch them). Well I'm 21 now and my lefts and rights never switched. tripper74
You made it through the wilderness....
GiphyI didn't know what virginity was and my dad would say I would understand when I got older. In the meantime, I thought it would make such a pretty name for a girl. cdngoneguy
Sacrifice....
The stress of paying bills and budgeting. My parents tried to keep this hidden from me but I could tell how much they carefully budgeted. They also sacrificed for us kids. I didn't get that until I had a dog first and then children. marya123mary
It's not "actual" fruit you know?
Why my parents wouldn't let me eat 3 fruit roll-ups per day. Lead5alad
I remember being almost 4 and eating an entire box of Blue fruit roll ups. They were Garfield themed. Later that night, we had a babysitter who I didn't know well. I ended up needing to poop, and tried my best at wiping myself (no way I was going to call out for the baby sitter). The paper was blue after my attempt at wiping myself. I didn't know what to do or even how to properly wipe. My toddler solution was to Scotch Tape a wad of TP to my butt. Imagine my parents trying to understand why there's a blue crap wad taped to their 3 year old's butt. RichardBurger
Recess runs out...
Vacations and breaks aren't a given. You don't just get to stop working for a few weeks randomly throughout the year, and no one plans around your vacation - you must plan all of your own (and sometimes other people's) work around your departures. Oh, and vacations are expensive. There's probably a reason that Billy down the block's family is able to take five people to Disney World: because they have money.
I'm a violin teacher now and blew this poor kid's mind this past weekend when he asked me what I was doing for spring break. I sort of stared at him for a second, and then remembered that spring break is a thing that kids get... so I told him that I'm working because I don't get a spring break and he was just completely aghast. Sorry buddy, the adult world isn't as fun as being a kid. artemis_floyd
You can still be Prince...
- I used to think that living beyond 24 was crazy and impossible
- I used to think you would grow up to be a particular person instead of a larger version of yourself. I genuinely thought I could become Prince.
- I really thought I'd need the karate chop as a part of my adult life. Sprenth
Let's Wrestle....
GiphyWhen one time I accidentally walked in on my parents, they weren't "just wrestling." adirtymedic
My 5 year old son walked in on me and my SO. Watched us for I have no clue how long before breaking the muffled quiet with "can I play with you guys?" I was so horrified, all I could muster was "NO. Go to bed!"
He started crying and after I got dressed and went to check on him he said he was sad he wasn't allowed to wrestle and play with us. Oh God I'm so embarrassed just remembering it. Manderelli
Redditor Tight_Anywhere6794 wanted to hear about the things parents have said in the past that haunts everyone still, so they asked:
"What insult have your parents said, that is stuck in your head as an adult?"
I've been blessed with the mother I had.
So I can't speak from experience.
But I've heard parenting horror stories.
Bad Expressions
Sad Kid GIF by 1tvGiphy“'You’re so annoying.' Said to me as a young kid while I was expressing enthusiasm over some new interest. Later my father complains I never tell him anything."
foppishyyy
Mean Spirited
"What did I do to deserve a fat kid?"
Silosolo
"My parents also mocked me for being fat, and outright physically abused me as in forcefully grabbed my fat child manboobs or slapped me while calling me fat-related names."
"A lot of people at school did it too, so obviously I have a lot of self-image issues like I never let anyone see me without clothes these days. The worst part is that I legitimately internalized a lot of hate, I could never care for myself enough to actually get fit."
FoeWithBenefits
What's My Name?
"My parents divorced when I was young and they hate each other. My mom would call me my dad's name when she was really upset. What makes it worse is that I confided in her that I never wanted to be like my dad. She used that ammunition against me."
Discarded_Pariah
"That's awful. You are your own person. You aren't your father."
blksmnr
Unfunny
"'You can't even laugh right.'"
"My mom in a weird moment I thought we were bonding. There's something inherently extra evil when someone tells you your joy is wrong. Told her I'm engaged and hoped she could at least be happy I'm happy and she ghosted everyone to the point the family thought died. She's a mess."
BlindEditor
"I'll never understand parents that are so hard on their own children that they can't even be happy for them. So their sole function is to bring misery to their offspring?"
macabre_irony
Evil
Oh My God Wow GIF by The Roku ChannelGiphy"My little brother was drowning, I tried to save him but also almost drowned, we got rescued by a neighbor. My mom told me that they should've left me in the pond. I haven't spoken to her in many years."
Ilookbetterthanyou
Good Lord. How do people like this exist?
Tragic.
HIM
"She told me I was acting just like my father when I would get upset. I would just get kinda pissy and sulk. He would go on rampages and scream and hit and throw things. He pushed her down the stairs once. I would never lay a finger on my current partner. The worst part is I look just like him. I was wondering if my mother always expected me to turn into my dad. I prove her wrong every day."
rot_grl
10 Years Old
"When I was ~10 years old, my mum once said 'If I could go back in time and make sure I never gave birth to you, I would in a heartbeat.'"
"Never forgot it. Talked to her about it a couple of times years later and her responses ranged from 'That never happened' to 'Oh yeah and I suppose I’m just the worst mother ever' and finally 'Yeah but I didn’t mean it, you know that.'"
"Messed me up tho tbh. Another one was '[older sibling] was the only child we actually planned for, the rest of you were accidents.' I don’t think it was intended as an insult, but being told your entire existence was an accident as a child kinda stung."
SpiderP*bes
Failures
“'You’re the biggest mistake I ever made.' - my mother when I was 5. I’m 32 now and it’s been the undercurrent for our relationship ever since, constantly wondering if anything I’ve achieved or struggled for is something she’s genuinely proud of or just relieved to say I wasn’t a total failure on her part."
thefaehost
Generational Issues
"Not a parent but a grandparent, I was adopted when I was 12 years old (my parents were both drug addicts so I was in and out of foster care most of my life) my adopted mother's father turned to me on Christmas Eve when no one else was around and said 'My daughter should have never adopted you, she should have let you stay on the streets where you belong'… he got nicer as he got older and sicker but I couldn’t find it in myself to forget what he said even almost 10 years later. Went to the funeral for moral support but was indifferent about his passing."
samweather227
Just Me
Sad Kids GIF by Cian DucrotGiphy"I was an only child and lonely. When I asked for a sibling, the response was 'If you want to know why we don't have more kids, go look in the mirror.'"
Responsible_Fly_3565
Some people should never have children.
Awful.
"What is something you no longer have patience for?"
Off The Clock Means OFF THE CLOCK!
"Working outside of work hours."
"I used to go above and beyond, now I only put in what is required."
"Life is too short to live only to work."- Chesterfieldcat
"The working world."
"My life doesn’t revolve around working here and it never will."
"It will never be a part of my identity."
"I come in, do the job, make money, go home."
"Don’t expect me to come to all the work happy hours so I can pretend how much I love working here."- nuclearsalt
Some Things Just Don't Get A Free Pass
"Sh*tty people getting a pass 'because they're family'."- cgulash
angry homer simpson GIFGiphySay What You Mean, Not What You Feel
"Having to guess what people REALLY mean by something they said."
"I take everything people say at face value now and don't replay conversations in my head to find out the real meaning anymore."
"Be passive-aggressive if you want to but talk to me like an adult if you really have a problem."- WateredDownSalt
EYES ON THE ROAD!
"People who text and drive."
"You're driving a giant piece of metal propelled by explosive liquid."
"Pay attention."- MasterfulNothasie
The Only Life That Should Concern You Is Your Own
"People and groups of people that only talk about other people."- Turf98
"People who can’t mind their fucking business and are always worried about what other people are doing."
"If it doesn’t effect you, f*ck off."
"It’s literally free."- wackwackwackjpg
GIF by WWEGiphySome People Didn't Mind Social Distancing
"People invading my personal space."- Mighty-Foreskin
Influence Can Be Dangerous
"Anything that has “influencer” in it."- chemistcarpenter
Indoor Voices People...
"Streamers screaming, losing their sh*t, breaking things, and having tantrums."
"I used to think this was so funny now I just can't stand it; I can't even watch a streamer if I notice they're not using their normal talking voice." - Reddit
Fail Oh No GIF by G2 EsportsGiphyTaking Responsibility Is A Sign Of Maturity
"People who constantly blame others for the situation they are in."- SuvenPan
Time Is Precious And Shouldn't Be Wasted
"Waiting on people who are constantly late to plans."
"I will wait 15 minutes then excuse myself."- Dabbles-In-Irony
There's Multi-Tasking, And Then There's Just Being Rude...
"People being on their phone while in a conversation with you."
"Seriously."
"Put your phone away!"- rosieblinkstime
Phone GIF by Poehlmann FitnessGiphyIt Takes So Much More Effort To Be Nasty...
"Bad manners, unkindness and general rudeness."
"It costs nothing to be a nice person and from someone who works in a customer-facing industry, attitudes, sadly, appear to be getting worse."
"It really makes me cross."- Bellamiles85
At Least They're Being Transparent
"Medicine commercials with worse side-effects than the thing being cured."- mrbbrj
Wasting our time and thoughts about things that we know can only bring us down is simply no way to get through life.
It's essential to live our lives by taking the present moment for what it is: a present.