It doesn't matter if you are in your 20's or in your 60's and your parents are still alive, it is not just a nice thing to do, but it is your responsibility as a child to honor your parents.
Even if you find it hard to do sometimes, you still need to try to learn that you need to understand your parents a lot better.
This will lead to a better relationship and will help you feel a lot better about yourself at the same time.
Honoring your parents is needed because you must understand the sacrifices that many parents have gone through in order to raise their children.
What they gave you, life, was a gift and that should never be ignored.
One of the first things we should always do, no matter how old you are, is to realize that your parents grew up in a far different era than you did.
Not only did they come from a different generation but their system of beliefs and values were far different than the ones that you might be facing now.
So the first thing you can do to try and honor them is to learn to understand how they grew up and what kinds of different difficulties that they had to face in their childhood and young adulthood.
Was there a war that they lived through.
Did they grow up in the 1950's and 1960's? Did they come from a poor background, was their life filled with emotional hardships? Each and every experience they had is what ended up molding them into to who they are in front of you now.
Listen, listen, listen.
This is one of the greatest gifts that we can offer our parents and that is listening to them.
We rarely did it as children so it's time, as adults that we give them that gift.
Make sure that you allow them the time to talk, whether it's about their aching body, what frustrates them or even if it's things that make them happy.
Whatever it is, let them know you are listening and that you care about what they have to say.
Even if you don't have much time on your hands, it's still important that you try and visit them whenever you can.
When you give your parents some of your time it will probably be a lot more important to them than any present you might give them.
If they were to tell you the truth, if they had a choice between a birthday present or just having you there, more times than not they are going to say having you there is far more important than anything material that you might give them.
Be expressive for your parents.
Write a story that includes them, or even a poem.
Make their birthday card or Christmas card instead of buying them one.
Any expressive effort on your part is going to be immensely appreciated by your parents.
Never think you are too old for their advice.
Make sure to ask for it often, even if you really don't need it at the time.
Asking them for advice is going to make them feel that they are not only still needed but that they are still an important part of your life.
Hugs.
Never stop hugging your parents.
You and they both will never outgrow the need for a hug.
A hug is one of the simplest ways of saying "I love you.
" without saying one single word.
And never, ever be afraid to say those three little words..
..
those are the three words that will honor your parents most of all.