As the eldest son in a family of five, I have two younger brothers—one 23 years old and the other 16. My father, who at some point stopped going to work and took on household duties, and my mother, who spent nearly 20 years as a homemaker before returning to work. My once quiet younger brother has begun to assert his own opinions, while my youngest sibling has embarked on his first romantic relationship.

As our parents grow older and weaker, we, in turn, must grow stronger. Within the 30-year physical and psychological gap between parent and child, I find myself straddling both worlds in the role of the eldest son. In the love that we, whom my father calls “incompetent people,” express, what goal exists? And in this position—where I must now face the reality of taking on a new role as the head of the family—what can I do, and what must I do?