Parents

Now don't get me wrong, I love my parents and I'd definitely take care of them even when they're old and grey. But where does one draw the line in being filial?

Here, let me paint a scenario: you want to backpack with a friend abroad, but your parents won't let you because they're afraid for your safety. 

It's a simple analogy, but it's something most of us have experienced in one way or another. Out of respect, you give in and listen to them. They're not doing anything wrong; they're just worried because they care for you, even though you know that deep inside, it's not something easy to swallow. Are you going to let your years slip by in "safety" just because you're obligated to obey your parents? Are your parents slowing you down, knowing that disobeying them would have most certainly led to a more fulfilling life?

To be honest, I don't have an answer to that. As a person who is stuck in a similar situation, it leaves me much to think about. Obviously, your parents are the main reason you're even here in the first place, and you have the duty of taking care of them like how they took care of you; but surely there's a limit somewhere - you can't surrender every single one of your dreams to your parents' whims, because eventually, it's your life that you're living. Not to sound heartless, but your parents won't stick around forever either, and by the time they're gone, perhaps it's already too late to make up for lost time.

It's normal for parents to use their past experiences to discern what's right or wrong for you, but it's nor necessarily the best method. While it's probably the only tool they're equipped with, they sometimes forget that the world is ever changing, and what's conceived as unfavorable then may not be the case today. Parents are humans, and humans are part of society after all; they, like everyone else, judges by a set of made up rules by society itself and therefore, completely unreliable. 

At the end of the day, parents are supposed to stop you from falling, not suffocate you. The onus is on you to determine which is it. Don't give stupid shit like I feel suffocated because they won't buy an iPhone for me. Fuck you.

Seriously though, don't let your parents stifle your dreams. Look after them, care for them, but don't let anyone stop you from living your authentic life.