I laughed. And then I laughed some more. And then I got really quiet. What a journey!
The math fear is real and I like that you discounted the beatings and touched upon the fear it invoked instead. I often find myself being very careful when recounting similar stories, worried that others might judge my parents too harshly when in fact, I have probably exaggerated it in my mind and especially now, that they've changed so much since then and are worlds apart from how they used to be. It felt comforting to read this!
Hey Poojita, thank you so much for reading the newsletter. I am glad to know that you could relate to some bits of it. The maths fear was real for so many of us and its sad that we lost on learning about such a beautiful subject just out of fear. It's quite a shame. Anyways, I hope you do eventually write about your folks and your growing up years too. I was apprehensive of the fear of judgment too because I absolutely love my parents but then again, I wrote this for myself first and foremost to process some of the lingering emotions that keep coming back to me. I hope you do soon, I will be waiting. Hugs.
With a similar family lineage, I have come across these stereotypes myself. I relate with this enough to say that maybe this anger can transcend beyond masculinity. My grandfather was notorious as the angry young man of his family yet my overpowering memories of him are crying watching news of an earthquake or getting anxious if any family member is not back home at night. Never thought though, that my intense reactivity could trace itself back to Pakistan, haha!
I laughed. And then I laughed some more. And then I got really quiet. What a journey!
The math fear is real and I like that you discounted the beatings and touched upon the fear it invoked instead. I often find myself being very careful when recounting similar stories, worried that others might judge my parents too harshly when in fact, I have probably exaggerated it in my mind and especially now, that they've changed so much since then and are worlds apart from how they used to be. It felt comforting to read this!
Hey Poojita, thank you so much for reading the newsletter. I am glad to know that you could relate to some bits of it. The maths fear was real for so many of us and its sad that we lost on learning about such a beautiful subject just out of fear. It's quite a shame. Anyways, I hope you do eventually write about your folks and your growing up years too. I was apprehensive of the fear of judgment too because I absolutely love my parents but then again, I wrote this for myself first and foremost to process some of the lingering emotions that keep coming back to me. I hope you do soon, I will be waiting. Hugs.
With a similar family lineage, I have come across these stereotypes myself. I relate with this enough to say that maybe this anger can transcend beyond masculinity. My grandfather was notorious as the angry young man of his family yet my overpowering memories of him are crying watching news of an earthquake or getting anxious if any family member is not back home at night. Never thought though, that my intense reactivity could trace itself back to Pakistan, haha!