Turning Into Your Parents

Growing up, I can remember my Dad saying quite often "Megan (or any of my siblings) you left the hall (bathroom, bedroom, patio, kitchen, etc) light on, please go turn it off." This broken record request wasn't limited to just lights. We'd leave doors and windows open in the winter "heating the whole neighborhood" things like that. My personal evil favorite was when we moved into the house he's in now. Before they remodeled, along one wall in the kitchen was a series of cabinets. A few long ones and then a few that opened right at his head level. In my self absorbed years I can't remember if Katie and Lizzie were as bad, but I was notorious for leaving those cabinet doors open, specifically the ones up top. And dear old Dad would come in, distracted, looking at something in his hands, and walk right into the cabinet doors. And naturally, they opened opposite of the direction he was walking so they wouldn't just fall closed. They'd hold firm, usually gashing the corner right into the cute lil' bald spot on the top of his head. I sit here chuckling to myself as I hear "Goddammitall MEGAN" ringing thru my memories. But as I chuckle, I'm reminded of the fact that what goes around comes around. In the years since I've moved out, karma has come full circle in two ways with this one.

I remember when I first moved out, calling my Dad in that first week, joking that I had every light on in the house, I took a shower that lasted an hour, and had the heater running with allllll the windows and doors open. Ahhhh, the freedom!!!! Then I got my first set of utility bills. WHAT THE HECK!?!?!? I even called Dad (landlord) to inquire of possible leaks because there was just no way my water bill was this high. But, probably the best pay back I got - well I'd imagine my Dad would think this is the best... was the day I left one of the top cabinet doors open. This is the only cabinet door that you risk really running into. It sticks out further than the rest, and is at the end of the kitchen, near the doorway into the hall. I woke up one sleepy eyed Saturday, pulled a box of cereal out of the said cabinet and poured a bowl to bring back to bed. I remember adding too much milk, so I was looking down as I walked to make sure I wasn't spilling. I was also walking really fast because I was freezing (now suddenly a cheapskate, I was more willing to hide under 30 blankets than run the heater just for me!) Well you can probably guess where I am going with this. Yep - 5 or 6 quick steps later BAM I ran right into the cabinet... and I didn't just hit my head. It caught me so off guard, and I hit it so hard, I flew back, lost my footing, fell on my butt, dumping the milk and cereal all over me. I could just picture my Dad standing over me going NE NER NE NER NE NER!!!!!!!! Man did I deserve that or what!!!

But the harshest reality I think I've met -that most people who eventually have kids can appreciate was the day I realized... holy crap. I sound like my Dad. All the sudden, all I see is the girls leaving every light on anytime they walk into a room, they leave their TV on anytime they walk away (This solves the mystery of the TV magically turning off growing up - My Dad later explained he'd set the sleep timer on them since we'd walk away half the time leaving it on.) I'm beginning to think Mackenzie thinks the light gremlin is going to eat her hand off in the bathroom if she were to ever turn off the light. I feel like a broken record!!! "you left the light on.. please go turn the TV off... close the fridge door, nothing is going to magically appear, you know what we have....Close the recliner when you crawl out of it so we don't walk into it... close the door you are letting flies in.." After saying it for the 50th time I thought OH NO! I sound just like my Dad! LOL!! But you know what, I get it now. So I guess it's time to pay my dues, and maybe one day in 20 years, Kali and Mackenzie (and eventually Jack) will call me laughing, saying they get it now too.