Mother looked into her eyes and said, “You are unworthy to be our daughter-in-law!”
I am 57 years old. I have no family, no children, and it seems I never will. I do not seek sympathy or understanding. I simply want to share my story as a warning to parents: do not meddle in your children’s lives. Do not build their happiness for them. One day, you may realize you have destroyed the most precious thing of all – their love.
I am a living testament to how parental pride and arrogance can ruin a son’s life.
A Love That Wasn’t Good Enough
I was 25 when I met her – Katie. A simple, kind girl from a working-class family. She had no money, no fancy clothes, and no influential relatives. But she possessed what others did not – a heart that beat in harmony with mine.
When I brought her home, my mother looked at her with disdain and boldly declared, “We do not need a daughter-in-law like that.”
My father supported her. Katie was literally ushered out at the doorstep of our home. They refused to listen to me; they wouldn’t let me speak.
“You’re our only son! We raised you, educated you, and you bring home a pauper?!”
Katie stood silently, but I could see the pain igniting in her eyes. She did not create a scene or break down in tears. She simply looked into my eyes, shrugged, and left.
I chased after her, trying to persuade her to come with me to another town, to start anew. But she was wiser than I.
“Your parents will do everything to ruin our lives,” she said. “They won’t leave us in peace. I don’t want to live in constant battle.”
And she walked away.
Wasted Years
A few years later, I learned that she married an old acquaintance of hers. He also came from a humble background, but together they started from scratch, worked, built a home, and raised children.
I saw her occasionally on the street. She always smiled. She looked happy.
One day, I couldn’t hold back and asked her, “Do you love him?”
She looked at me with a hint of sadness and replied, “In a family, love is not the most important thing. Respect, trust, and stability are what matter. Without them, no feelings can save you.”
I disagreed. In my heart, she remained my one true love.
But I never encountered another woman to whom I could say the same words.
A Lonely Home
I never married.
My parents tried to persuade me, attempting to matchmake me with girls from “decent families.” But I couldn’t. I did not want to live with a woman I didn’t love.
As the years went by, they resigned themselves to my choice. They began to ask me to at least marry and have heirs, but I was indifferent.
Years passed. My parents aged, fell ill, and one by one, they were gone.
And I was left alone in our vast home.
Now my friends have families, children, and grandchildren. I see them less frequently because I do not wish to feel this pain – the pain of someone else’s happiness that could have been mine.
Other People’s Children – My Solace
To fill the void, I started volunteering at playgrounds – painting slides and repairing swings. Sometimes I tidied up the yards of nurseries.
I did not need money. I sold all my parents’ land and inheritance.
I donated part to charity and gave to schools and children’s homes.
A friend once asked me, “Why not donate to nursing homes?”
I scoffed.
“That’s my way of getting back at the parents who left me lonely.”
Yes, it’s cruel. But now I believe only in children. They are the future.
And when I am gone, my house will be handed over to the school I attended. Let them use it for good.
I can no longer change my life. But perhaps I can help other children so their fates turn out differently.
