Grown up

When was the first time you really felt like a grown up (if ever)?

The first time I truly felt like an adult was when my aunt beat up my mom after my dad gambled away our house on the stock exchange.

His sisters forced my mom to give up her savings. As a child, I ran downstairs and stood in front of my mom to protect her—it felt like I grew up in an instant.

I resented my dad for blaming her, and I swore that one day I would earn my own money, have my own possessions, and ensure that my mom and siblings would never have to rely on anyone.

I vowed to be independent, making sure everything I did would be profitable, unlike my father, who blamed his wife for his losses.

Now, his sisters are gone, and the next generation—his nieces and nephews—no longer care about him, leaving him in a special home as a result.