Sometimes I really envy others, where a word from their parents can arrange their jobs and help them acquire homes and cars, as if life comes with a built-in cushion.

But for those of us without support, from the moment we were born, we can only grit our teeth and push forward. The most ironic thing is that even though we work harder and are more aware, there are always some who like to attribute all problems to their original family.

When having a bad temper, blame the original family; when unable to date well, blame the original family; even when struggling at work, blame the original family. But if you think carefully, our parents' generation had original families that were many times more difficult than ours.

They really struggled to have enough to eat and wear, with many siblings, endless farm work, and arguments that weren't just arguments but physical fights. Being able to eat a piece of braised pork during the New Year was enough to make them happy for half a day. Surviving in that era was a victory, and being able to eat enough was happiness.

They had no sense of boundaries, no emotional education, and never learned how to love others. But that’s not an excuse; they truly didn’t know how to be parents, yet they did their best. At least they succeeded in ensuring we wouldn’t have to return to their days of hardship.

However, this kind of effort is different from the gentleness we desire. We need to understand but not replicate, respect but not obey. Life is always our own; the original family is a starting point, not a shackle. What parents cannot give us, we can only make up for ourselves. And every step you take forward is actually pulling yourself little by little out of the shadows of the old era.