Yeah...in retrospect, I was probably going overboard last night. In many respects, I was trying to experience Chicago for all of us, precisely because we hadn't seen much of the city due to the physical and mental limitations that our family as a whole has endured. Last night was my attempt to bring the experience back to all of you so you could get a taste of it, and then be inspired to go check it out for yourselves. I was also trying to get Dad to think more outside of the box - so that he could enjoy life more, and so that he would permit us to enjoy it too, without being on-guard. Now that Dad trusts me more, I thought I would take a chance with him...but perhaps it is still too early. I suspect he himself has felt limited for most of his life - like a flower trapped on a small plot of land, due to …show more content…
If we go off gallivanting to various parts of the world, come back, and then give him a taste of how free we were without him, he is likely to feel that we have left him behind. I think this is why Didi tells us to temper our excitement when we are around Dad. For one thing, he has missed out on the fun; for another, he becomes upset when we exhibit signs of being better off without his company. I'll be more careful with Dad - but little by little, I will also try to get him to open his mind and his heart to the other aspects of this world. Admittedly, I was upset with him during part of this trip, and it probably came out last night. The more time I spend with friends who did not grow up inhibited, the more at a disadvantage I feel for not knowing the things that they do (about cultural references, social interactions, maintaining a healthy work-life