Later that day our conversation drifted to our adult children and their marriages.
Margaret’s expression darkened as she began complaining about her son’s wife. According to her, the marriage was a mess. The girl was lazy, she said—spent hours lying in bed reading, rarely helped around the house, and worst of all, her poor son brought her breakfast on a tray every morning. Margaret described it like her son had become a household servant.
I listened quietly and waited to hear what she thought about her daughter, who had recently gotten married.
When she finally mentioned her, the tone was completely different.
Her son-in-law, she said, was absolutely wonderful. A perfect husband. He made sure her daughter didn’t have to worry about housework, encouraged her to rest, and even brought her breakfast in bed every morning so she could start the day relaxed.
The same actions.
Two entirely different judgments.
And it occurred to me that in this world, a person can be called either “a saint” or “completely useless” for doing the exact same thing—depending entirely on whose child they married.
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