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Woman asks her dad who he loves more: his kids or his grandkids. His answer is touching.

"Ask your parent questions. They might be very healing."

dad of tiktok, grandparents, inner child healing
@finding_torrie/TikTok

"Ask your parents questions. They might be very healing."

Sometimes our parents can surprise us with the most meaningful insight, heartfelt compliment or some other completely unexpected display of love. These moments might be rare to some more than others, but when they do happen, they can be profound.

A woman named Torrie just had one of those deeply impactful moments with her father, and a video telling the story of their heartwarming interaction has gone viral online.

Torrie had asked her parents who they loved more: their kids or their grandkids. Considering the well documented phenomenon of grandparents often being closer—even nicer—to their grandkids, perhaps Torrie was expecting to hear the latter. Maybe she anticipated hearing a joke about how the grandkids are less of a handful or any other number of insensitive half-jokes.

Much to her surprise, Her father gave a response that was thoughtful and comforting all at the same time.


“He said, ‘Not more, but different,’” she recalled. "‘When I look at your daughter, my grandchild, I don't see her the way you see her, I see her as a whole person.’”

Torrie was initially confused by this statement, so her father explained how seeing her go from childhood to adulthood gave him a future glimpse of what his granddaughter would eventually be like.

@finding_torrie 😩 #innerchildhealing #parenting ♬ The Night We Met - Marianne Beaulieu

“And he said, ‘I've seen firsthand you go from a baby to a woman, and I've known all of the ‘yous’ in between,’” she continued. And so, "When he looks at my daughter, he not only sees this beautiful baby, he sees and loves everything she is and ever will be because he's already seen it in me.”

Getting emotional, Torrie concludes: “Ask your parents questions. their answers might be really healing.” She even captioned the clip #innerchildhealing

While several viewers noted that Torrie’s experience certainly would not be the case for their own parental interactions, everyone agreed the video was touching nonetheless.

“I can confirm that it will not be healing but I love this for you and your dad must be protected at all costs,” one person wrote.

Some even made jokes about how unfathomable it was to have a parent like Torrie’s. “Where you get parents like that? Can you get that on Amazon? 😭😭❤️❤️” one person quipped.

Still, for many who didn’t have that kind of relationship with their folks, simply seeing that kind of love in action was its own kind of soul medicine.

“What’s healing for me is knowing that there are people who have truly loving parents. Please thank your dad for me 💓,” one person shared.

In a follow-up video, Torrie clarified that her relationship with her father was far from perfect. They had also spent years “working through trauma” to achieve that level of emotional intelligence and arrive at this strong connection.

But clearly, the work has paid off. In another video, Torrie shared the text exchange with her dad talking about how her video had gone viral. She told him how lucky she felt to have him as a dad and how much she valued the conversations they’ve been able to have after those years of work.

Her dad’s response? “Me too. It would be quite an accomplishment NOT to love a daughter like you to the moon and back.”

@finding_torrie Replying to @Straw🍓 ♬ Belonging - Muted

Yeah. Suddenly the world doesn’t feel like such a cold and lonely place after all. Sometimes our parents can surprise us. But even if they can’t, sometimes seeing others heal can be healing.

All images provided by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

Collins after being selected by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

True

A changemaker is anyone who takes creative action to solve an ongoing problem—be it in one’s own community or throughout the world.

And when it comes to creating positive change, enthusiasm and a fresh perspective can hold just as much power as years of experience. That’s why, every year, Prudential Emerging Visionaries celebrates young people for their innovative solutions to financial and societal challenges in their communities.

This national program awards 25 young leaders (ages 14-18) up to $15,000 to devote to their passion projects. Additionally, winners receive a trip to Prudential’s headquarters in Newark, New Jersey, where they receive coaching, skills development, and networking opportunities with mentors to help take their innovative solutions to the next level.

For 18-year-old Sydnie Collins, one of the 2023 winners, this meant being able to take her podcast, “Perfect Timing,” to the next level.

Since 2020, the Maryland-based teen has provided a safe platform that promotes youth positivity by giving young people the space to celebrate their achievements and combat mental health stigmas. The idea came during the height of Covid-19, when Collins recalled social media “becoming a dark space flooded with news,” which greatly affected her own anxiety and depression.

Knowing that she couldn’t be the only one feeling this way, “Perfect Timing” seemed like a valuable way to give back to her community. Over the course of 109 episodes, Collins has interviewed a wide range of guests—from other young influencers to celebrities, from innovators to nonprofit leaders—all to remind Gen Z that “their dreams are tangible.”

That mission statement has since evolved beyond creating inspiring content and has expanded to hosting events and speaking publicly at summits and workshops. One of Collins’ favorite moments so far has been raising $7,000 to take 200 underserved girls to see “The Little Mermaid” on its opening weekend, to “let them know they are enough” and that there’s an “older sister” in their corner.

Of course, as with most new projects, funding for “Perfect Timing” has come entirely out of Collins’ pocket. Thankfully, the funding she earned from being selected as a Prudential Emerging Visionary is going toward upgraded recording equipment, the support of expert producers, and skill-building classes to help her become a better host and public speaker. She’ll even be able to lease an office space that allows for a live audience.

Plus, after meeting with the 24 other Prudential Emerging Visionaries and her Prudential employee coach, who is helping her develop specific action steps to connect with her target audience, Collins has more confidence in a “grander path” for her work.

“I learned that my network could extend to multiple spaces beyond my realm of podcasting and journalism when industry leaders are willing to share their expertise, time, and financial support,” she told Upworthy. “It only takes one person to change, and two people to expand that change.”

Prudential Emerging Visionaries is currently seeking applicants for 2024. Winners may receive up to $15,000 in awards and an all-expenses-paid trip to Prudential’s headquarters with a parent or guardian, as well as ongoing coaching and skills development to grow their projects.

If you or someone you know between the ages of 14 -18 not only displays a bold vision for the future but is taking action to bring that vision to life, click here to learn more. Applications are due by Nov. 2, 2023.

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