Meaning

This observation captures a quiet irony that runs through many family relationships across generations. A young person tends to resist or dismiss a parent's guidance, convinced that the older generation simply does not understand. Years later, once that same person becomes a parent and faces the same challenges, they often find themselves echoing the very advice they once ignored. By then, however, the cycle has already started again with their own child.

Context

Charles Wadsworth was an American clergyman and public speaker active in the nineteenth century, known for his eloquence and his ability to make moral and philosophical points in memorable language. This particular line reflects the kind of generational wisdom that preachers and essayists of that era often explored, examining how human nature repeats itself across time and how pride and humility trade places as people move through different stages of life.

About the author

Charles Wadsworth was a prominent Presbyterian minister whose sermons attracted large and devoted audiences. He was regarded as one of the more gifted orators of his time, capable of weaving keen psychological insight into observations about everyday life and human relationships. He is perhaps best known today through his connection to the poet Emily Dickinson, who is believed to have held him in high personal regard, though the exact nature of their relationship has been a subject of ongoing literary discussion.