Family dynamics can indeed be complicated. How things look as adults is so often a different picture. As a child how life is within our walls is all we really know.
Most wise council seem to feel it is a natural need for sons with new marriages and families to exert independence from a very close relationship and dependence on his parents. They did even live with us for a year after they were married. We were extremely close. Another school of thought is that his outbursts and rejection has put him in a corner he doesn't know how to get out of. I'm holding on to a hope that it is also a natural progression to remember that he had a really lovely childhood and loving parents and come back to the fold.
This also reminds me that it is a natural human thing to have a middle age crazy episode, which I totally missed being now old aged. I think I am allowed to do it late, right?
Oh of course! Mid-life crisis is less about chronological age than about having been in one stage of life long enough that you desperately want to just start over fresh.
Yes, I have been in this stage beyond long enough and am ready to start fresh. Good way to think about it.
I recently saw a man living out his middle-age crisis - driving along, little red sportscar with the top down (during a warm spell), '60s rock blasting, thinning hair waving in the breeze.
Well, for his sake and his loved ones, I hope it always feels like that.
(cross posted from 2023 skidoo)
Hello all you gorgeous beings
Best wishes for a tolerable 2024!
I can't form a narrative at the moment but it's been too long since I told you all I love you and I'm glad you're in my life
I can't form a narrative at the moment but it's been too long since I told you all I love you and I'm glad you're in my life
Back at ya, Laga.
Momentary pity party. Today, I think, is my 2nd grandchild's 1st birthday. I wasn't told a date. I've never seen him except on other people's FB pages. I haven't seen the 3-year-old since before he could crawl. It sucks. Maybe this year things will change. There is nothing more I can do to make that happen. I'll still send Gabriel happy birthday thoughts and snoop on the internet in hopes of catching pictures somewhere.
I have cousins I've never met....not that that's the same, but it's weird.
Estrangement's not unusual for the larger J clan, though. unfortunately.
I'm sorry, Laura. That's heartbreaking. And honestly bewildering to us who know how awesome and big-hearted you are. I hope your son and his DW come around really, really soon. {{{Laura & Brendon}}}
Thank you. I sent him a gentle text yesterday to acknowledge the day, but no response. I'll continue from time to time to reach out, but it adds another stab of pain when I get no response.
