I don't know if you have to love someone no matter what. Parents are responsible for their children up to a certain point, but as soon as they are able to make their own decisions, this responsibility shifts to a kind of legal construct.

What my parents would have felt if I had been successful, I can only guess. My father's assessment of them would have been that I was simply a weak person. My mum would probably have said: finally it's all come to an end... You know, she was over 40 when I was born. Back then, it was considered absolutely late childbearing and highly risky. A woman would never have done that to herself voluntarily...

You only really love yourself unconditionally, if at all...