Growing Up

"Arm Wrestling With My Father " is a story all about the ever-changing growth and complexities of his relationship with his father. In many ways people can relate their own relationship with their parents to what Manning is saying in some way. Every child has the realization that their parents are getting older and that they won't live forever. The story is more about the effects of time on their relationship as well as showing love for his father. Time changes parent-child relationships because eventually roles are reversed and the child is now the caretaker.

As I get older, this is always in the back of my mind.This complexity affects my relationship with my mother more than eve. As we both get older we realize that we should spend more time together. My mom realizes that in a year I will be off to college and I realize that they we won't spend much time together. As i entered high school, my mother and I spent less and less time. I started taking ap classes, I studied more, I got a job, and slept whenever I had free time. This combination was detrimental  to our relationship. Eventually I realized that I needed to spend more time with her. Growing up changes a lot within the mother-son bond but there should always be time left over for the loved ones in your life. Brad Manning misses the time spent with his father just as I miss the time spent with my mother but we both realize that soon even more time will be lost. Unfortunately this comes with growing up. Everyone has to experience it and for me, I wish I realized this when I was younger.