Sunstar Davao columnist Rene Lizada talks about being proud of his son Miguel Lizada who is also a columnist for the same paper, and a teacher at the AdMU School of Humanities’ English Department…

I would not come close to Miguel if I were his age. He is that good as a writer and I am grateful that he is. When a student exceeds a teacher, the teacher has been successful.

When a child surpasses a parent you know that the parent has done something right. Of course as a parent we fumble but there are times when we do something good.

He then expounds on how parents’ love (or lack of it) for their children can shape their children…

…the beauty and the danger lie for if our parents grew up with a twisted perverted sense of love, chances are they will pass on those traits to us. In all possibility what they know about love they will show to their children.

If our parents grew up in a loving environment then children will be loving and warm. If our parents accept us for what we are then we will feel secure about ourselves. If on the other hand our parents impose their will on us and shape and mold us to what they want us to be, then there is danger.

If we grew up in an environment where love is like a business transaction then we will think that love is just business. You do what I want and I will “pay” you back. If the concept of love that you understand is that of control then you end up doing the same thing. You try to control the other person with whatever weapons you have.

His words are so simple, yet so true.