a teacher called Ms. Experience

experience is such a funny thing.. we all have our very own experiences, and our own way of remembering things. similarly, we all take away very different lessons from what life throws at us. so no matter how much people warn you about their bad experiences, you never learn until you've been burned yourself. i guess in a way it's a good thing, as we all have to learn for ourselves.. we came to this world alone, and will leave alone too.

but when you've already been hurt, and don't want to see a loved one go through the same, it really is a Catch-22 situation: let the person go through with it and get hurt, and learn? or protect them so that they don't get hurt, but not learn either?

now that i look back at it, my parents were amazing, balancing the perfect amount of restraint: i messed up lots, got stung quite often and learned loads.. but grew up pretty straightforward, and without suffering any serious traumas or mental instability.. i think! ;-)