Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Get Out!!!!

Why must our mothers get so far into our heads? I feel like I have been doing fairly well lately as far as letting the small stuff go in regards to my relationship with my mother. I am 40 years old after all, you'd think that with so many years of processing what's mine and what's not, I'd be able to just let go and feel confident enough within myself so as not to be affected by ANYTHING my mother says or does. It was going along pretty smoothly too. Easily deflecting any biting or annoying remarks through humor or deep breaths or both. So why is that when I am feeling particularly shaky on the edge of that cliff called  self esteem, that THAT is when my mom decides I need more weight on my shoulders and lays one on me? It doesn't even matter that some of what she says may be true. It usually is. But it's the fact that whatever she is saying conveys a certain feeling that her confidence in me & my abilities is still ice thin and could shatter at any moment. Once again feeling that her love is conditional. In the sane part of me, I realize that this is just her stuff (fears,anxiety,lack of her own drama,etc) but the part of me that becomes insane feels like a little girl and a monster rolled up into one and I wanna scream, "Why can't you just love me and know that I will always be more than enough, come what may?!!" Part of our job in life is to make mistakes and (hopefully) learn from them and continue on in this manner. I know that she has seen me make some of the same mistakes over and over. I get that this is where some of her concerns come from, but I mean, really, I am not a total jerk, not strung out on drugs, or irresponsible in any major way that affects others and I always try to take responsibility for my actions, no matter what the outcome. And I rarely ask HER for anything anymore. I even said to her, "Why do you say these things and hound me about stuff I haven't completed yet? Don't you know that I already go over this in my own head every day? I don't do this to you, EVER." I long so much to just have a friendship with my  mother, like my other lovely friends with whom I share a confidence and love that is always uplifting and supportive and never demeaning and fear based. As one lovely soul told me today "It is your mom's pain and unconsciousness. You are perfect just the way you are." I realized that this is very true and in my heart of hearts I KNOW this, but does it ever get any easier when the one bringing you down is your mother????

3 comments:

Laurel Hermanson said...

Justine. So many thoughts, my head might explode. I won't say anything glib, because that's not helpful. I will say that you are SO RIGHT about this being her issue and you getting caught in the crossfire. Plus: 1) your dad just visited and that must tweak her a little; 2) you are working so hard to make positive changes, which may seem like an implicit rebuke to someone who has not; and 3) when you're struggling, you're an easy target. Will you ever completely stop struggling with this? Only if you stop caring, which is difficult for someone as loving and forgiving as you. Just try, try, try to remember IT'S ABOUT HER.

And because I can't write this on my own blog, I'll make it a little about ME. When my mom received my book in the mail, she didn't tell me until I sent an email. Her email response? "Yes, I got it. The cover looks pretty dark. :0(" That was it. I could just feel the pride oozing from my monitor...

Hang in there. I will always love you, unless you stop letting me crash at your house whenever I'm temporarily homeless.

Jen Anderson said...

everything that Laurel said is true...I don't have much else to say except that you ARE enough...always.

just remember the four agreements.

mama neeniebelle said...

Thank you both of you. I have since de-fumed about this, although I am still trying to find a comfortable place within our relationship where I can accept the way she is and also not allow her to trample all over me either. Lolo, I am soooo sorry to hear about the reaction (or lack thereof) to your book by your mum...not surprised but very sad to hear it just the same...you know that you ARE praiseworthy for your book and so much more...I guess we just can't always assume it'll come from our mothers, but it is important to really hear it from others that love us too! We are all enough and perfect in our own ways always!!!!