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Estrangement

The 'Perception Filter'...

(410 Posts)
HolyHannah Sun 24-May-20 07:51:22

An Estranged Parent said -- "This is something I have always thought about and really haven’t a clue as to the answer. I know that we all love with a different depth of capacity. How can our EC turn their backs on the very people who raised them and not give a hoot if they are dead or alive? Can they really love their spouses, their children? Are they capable of feeling love for anyone. In my case, I know with certainty that my ES loves his children, but in my heart I know he married someone who is very damaged even more so than he is and I think in order for his own survival, he in his mind pretends that all is well."

The first question in that is, "How can our EC turn their backs on the very people who raised them and not give a hoot if they are dead or alive?" My reply, "I guess it depends on how YOU raised them."

Next question -- "Can they really love their spouses, their children?" My reply, "Yes. Just because I got healthier mentally and stopped providing supply/'love' to my mom doesn't make me incapable of finding healthy love with my husband or children." The mentality of "If you don't/can't 'love' ME, you can't truly love anyone." is FFS at best.

Last question -- "Are they capable of feeling love for anyone. In my case, I know with certainty that my ES loves his children..." This statement should speak for itself...

LeeElizabeth Fri 12-Jun-20 23:31:56

I was not the perfect parent for 29 years. However, no one is. Moreover, the reality is that we all only get one mother and tomorrow isn't guaranteed. Best to mend fences while we still can.

HolyHannah Sat 13-Jun-20 02:18:08

For those that had abusive parents, "the reality is that we all only get one mother" is good. I couldn't have survived two of her.

rosecarmel Sat 13-Jun-20 06:13:07

LeeElizabeth, we only get the children that we do, to cherish or to ruin- I was bequeathed the task of fence mending, generations of split pickets, broken tools and scorched earth to sift through for bent nails to fasten it all back together and maybe, just maybe, resurrect some semblance of a family that doesn't look like they stepped out of Pet Sematary-

Any parent swearing upon the cover of purity of your Nancy Drew novels and Boy's Life magazines that you "didn't do anything", I believe you- But isn't it about time that you do?

Madgran77 Sat 13-Jun-20 08:41:40

Moreover, the reality is that we all only get one mother and tomorrow isn't guaranteed. Best to mend fences while we still can.

Not necessarily for everyone LeeElizabeth Depends what the problems were that caused the problems

Starblaze Sat 13-Jun-20 20:51:27

Sometimes it's best to mend the fences with one of you on the other side.

Smileless2012 Sat 13-Jun-20 21:02:30

I agree Starblaze

HolyHannah Mon 15-Jun-20 07:08:39

Starblaze -- "Sometimes it's best to mend the fences with one of you on the other side." That is especially true when the people that should have had the tools to raise Us, our 'parents', lied on their resume and said they are "good parents".

Good parents understand that fences have 2 sides... Bad parents, if they can even see/acknowledge the "broken fence", are the first to stand back and proclaim that any damage to that "fence" happened from 'the other side' -- that 'evil' out-side influence/DiL/'bad' doctor etc. But do you ever see an EP "pick up a tool" to try to mend the "fence"?

Nope. Most EP's spend their time denying "the fence"/dysfunctional 'family' THEY created as the adults was always a teetering mess. And why would they admit to that mess/the wonky fence when THEY were the builders of the "fence"?

It's rather like someone who builds a dam in a river... If a dam/family is properly built? Then the likelihood of failure is low. Dysfunctional/abusive/Narc 'parents' are the "dam builders" and it will eventually wash away when the 'parent' plays their game/applies too much pressure one too many times...

Once I knew what my 'mom' was, I set a mental boundary IN ADVANCE and said, "If she ever uses 'insert my story/reason' against Me? That will be the final straw that WILL lead to Me going fully No Contact." And guess what? When the "scenario" came to pass? She DID try to hurt Me and as much as it crushed Me? It was also very freeing.

I KNEW she would do what she 'did' and when she did? She proved ALL my years of being gas-lighted and abused correct/right in my mind. The 'final straw' that broke the camel's back was freeing. I predicted her abuse and she did not 'disappoint'...

HolyHannah Tue 23-Jun-20 07:11:47

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSDF8VvU13M

This should be the song for every 'child' that feels like their parents became 'adults' and seem to think We their 'children' never do...

Smileless2012 Tue 23-Jun-20 12:04:09

Music; it can evoke so many emotions and memories can't it. Some warm the heart and some just makes you cry.

One song I played over and over at the time of our estrangement was 'The Dance'.

"Our lives, are better left to chance, I could have missed the pain but I'd have had to miss the dance"sad.