You would assume she loves you too, right? And you both will love each other forever. But instead your mother tells you that someday, son, you will have to leave this family, and never return.
"But Mommy, why?"
"Because you are male, my son. Your heart is, sadly, full of aggression. And you would be a danger to this family."
"But... that can't be true. I love you, Mommy..."
"I know, dear. But you will grow. And your vigor and curiosity will in kind grow to a healthy and terrible bloodlust. And the love you knew for me, and this family, will be gone. You will be a new man."
"Can't be true...
How can I not turn into that, Mommy? How can I stay loving you?"
"I wish there was a way. But this is a cruel fact of nature."
Your own mother tells you that you're some kind of evil thing, and no matter how hard you fight to be a good son, none of it means anything. You might start to hate yourself. As emotions conflict inside your maturing body, you might in desperation reach out to whoever will hold your hand.
This is what it's like to grow up in Africa, or India, as a bull elephant.
"But Mommy, why?"
"Because you are male, my son. Your heart is, sadly, full of aggression. And you would be a danger to this family."
"But... that can't be true. I love you, Mommy..."
"I know, dear. But you will grow. And your vigor and curiosity will in kind grow to a healthy and terrible bloodlust. And the love you knew for me, and this family, will be gone. You will be a new man."
"Can't be true...
How can I not turn into that, Mommy? How can I stay loving you?""I wish there was a way. But this is a cruel fact of nature."
Your own mother tells you that you're some kind of evil thing, and no matter how hard you fight to be a good son, none of it means anything. You might start to hate yourself. As emotions conflict inside your maturing body, you might in desperation reach out to whoever will hold your hand.
This is what it's like to grow up in Africa, or India, as a bull elephant.
