John Marsden Writing Topic #480
What’s it like to have a parent cry?**
It’s unnerving as parents are “meant” to be strong and not vulnerable. A parent’s emotion is often a good indication of how bad a situation is. The first (and so far only) time I ever saw my Dad really cry hard was when my Nan (his mother) passed away after a short but torturous battle with cancer. I can’t remember the first time I saw my mum cry, maybe that’s because my mum cries and expresses her emotions more than my father does.
Parents enforce the rules, sometimes they try to fight your battles for you, they are warriors and hero-figures. To see them cry means they are vulnerable and more importantly human. The perfect, warrior and hero-figure facade fades away.
**Reference: Marsden, J 1998, Everything I Know About Writing, Pan Macmillan, Australia.
Loveday Writing 