Western people ask me whether it is a paradox that I am King but support democracy. I have to tell them that in Thailand, the King is the guarantor of democracy.
Bhumibol AdulyadejRead
My mother praised me when I did something good, and then the next moment, she would say, 'Don't float.' She put me in a balloon and then pricked it.
Interpretation
A mother balances praise and humility in a child's life.
This quote reflects the duality of a mother's love and guidance. While she acknowledges and praises her child's achievements, she simultaneously seeks to instill humility and groundedness, reminding her child not to become complacent or overly proud. The metaphor of being in a balloon that is both inflated and then pricked encapsulates the delicate balance of encouragement and the need for self-awareness.
In practice
A motivational speech about the importance of staying humble after success.
Western people ask me whether it is a paradox that I am King but support democracy. I have to tell them that in Thailand, the King is the guarantor of democracy.
People get angry at others who express a different opinion, while, in fact, they should be angry at themselves. But we must be angry at ourselves the most when we say something today, only to say something else tomorrow.
They say that a kingdom is like a pyramid: the king on top and the people below. But in this country, it's upside down.
By giving children lots of affection, you can help fill them with love and acceptance of themselves. Then that's what they will have to give away.
My father and mother had no sense of entitlement for their children.
The parent-child connection is the most powerful mental health intervention known to mankind.
I'm still very connected to my family, to the world I grew up in. I understand what it means to be afraid that you can't pay a doctor's bill. Or to have to make the choice between buying a band uniform for a seventh-grader and making the insurance payment on time. That will never leave me. It was how I lived until I was well into my adult years.
My mother was a full-time mother. She didn't have much of her own career, her own life, her own experiences... everything was for her children. I will never be as good a mother as she was. She was just grace incarnate. She was the most generous, loving - she's better than me.
I knew how much it hurt to be the daughter of people who can't see you, not even if you are standing in front of them stomping your feet.
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