I was a confirmed cynic, then I had kids

I was a confirmed(kənˈfərmd) cynic(ˈsinik), then I had kids

By Angela(j) Robertson

When I was in college one of my classmates called me a cynic. I was immediately offended(əˈfendid), but when I went home and reflected on his remark, I realized he was right. I was spending most of my 20s camouflaging(-ˌfläj,ˈkaməˌfläZH) the cynicism(ˈsinəˌsizəm) by calling myself cheeky(ˈCHēkē) or sarcastic(särˈkastik). I told people I was just doling(dōl) out the truth as I saw it. This truth, of course, was always of the overly(ˈōvərlē) skeptical(ˈskeptikəl), glass half-empty type.

If I was walking down the sidewalk on a beautiful day and someone pointed out a rainbow(ˈrānˌbō), I probably wouldn’t have bothered to look up. I most likely would have responded with “cool,” in the most pitch-perfect insincerity.

I was spending a lot of time fuming(fyo͞om) over the minutiae(-SHēˌī,məˈn(y)o͞oSHēˌē) of my day. In my head, I obsessed(əbˈses) over the details of a car cutting me off in traffic or the cashier(kaˈSHi(ə)r) at the grocery(ˈgrōs(ə)rē) store(stôr) who most definitely(ˈdefənitlē) rolled her eyes at me. I stewed(st(y)o͞od) on these interactions, serving them up in conversation(ˌkänvərˈsāSHən) to family and friends, as if I were acting out an episode(ˈepiˌsōd) of Seinfeld. Except I wasn’t funny – I was sour(ˈsou(ə)r).

Then I had kids.

And like most new parents, everyone from neighbours(ˈnābər) to complete strangers, showered(ˈSHou(-ə)r) me with parenting advice(ədˈvīs) and clichés(kli-,klēˈSHā kli-,ˈklēˌSHā). They patted me on the back and said things like “being a parent is the hardest job you’ll ever have,” and “the days will be long, but the years short.” In time, I found all of their proclamations(ˌpräkləˈmāSHən) to be true. But something else was also happening. Feelings were bubbling(ˈbəbəl) up from under that thick(THik) layer of cynicism I had built up over the years.

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https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/first-person/article-i-was-a-confirmed-cynic-then-i-had-kids/