The Bounding Limitations Which Brought Freedom
             "You aren't going to any party until you're 18 years, then you can decide for yourself whether is good to go or not." The voice of my mother echoed throughout the house after I had asked her approval to go to a social with my friends. She was brief and to the point as she refused my request.
             I didn't like her short lectures at all. I didn't appreciate the many times she limited me in what I wanted to do. I was dreaming of the day when I would be 18 years-old and I would be able to make the decisions that I wanted to make and not those my mom wanted.
             Like Polonius in Shakespeare's play "Hamlet" advising his son "To thine own self be true," mom said that when I turned 18 years-old I could be freed from her restrictions. However, as I went away from her protective wing, I discovered that a couple of restrictions had built up my core. They helped me be true to myself and to my family.
             Because of my mother's restrictions, I went to my first party accompanied by "three musketeers" –my older brothers. One by one my brothers took turns dancing with me and spending time with me while the other two had fun with their girlfriends.
             Shortly after I turned the magical age of 18 years-old, I got my first job, making it possible for me to move away from home. Living away from my family, I was the one to make my own decisions on how I would live my life.
             On one of my first weekends away from my parents, Irina – my best friend invited me over to her country side home where she was planning to go to a party. Finally I was going to my first party on my own. No family members were around me to tell me what to do and not to do. However, I did feel in my heart that I should call my mom and let her know what I was planning to do. I thought that she would start to lecture me again. To my surprise she didn't...