So I booked this trip for my parents, Chris, and I to go to Phoenix in April to see the Grand Canyon. We have one day completely dedicated to the Grand Canyon and Sedona, but we have 1.5 days where we have nothing planned yet. I’m really trying to keep in mind things my parents would not like to do or eat (you have to eliminate a lot to get to what my parents are willing to do). Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West is right in the area in Scottsdale, so I sent the link to my dad and asked if he or my mom would be interested. His e-mail reply: “She’s not interested in seeing anything. She’s suffering from depression!” Well, guess what… I booked this trip for all of us to enjoy the area and see as much as possible, so as much as you would like for us to sit in the hotel and do nothing all day, I’m not going to allow that to happen. So I’m booking this event for us, and they’re just going to have to come along whether they want to whine about it or not.

The trouble with having parents (or, a parent) who want to see the worst in everything and everyone is that they, without knowing it, really prevent you from actually enjoying things. Even the littlest and most trivial events or plans become massive problems and causes of pain.