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Please respon with nice words only. 😞

So, I’m just curious and wondering..

To the point, my father used to be a player. My mother was the third woman, and only with her did my father have a daughter—that’s me. If counted, I’m the third child out of six siblings, and all my siblings are boys, each from different mothers. One son from the fourth woman ended up living with my father and my mother, because they decided to stay together and take him in. Then, I also have two younger biological brothers.

But what confuses me through all this is… ever since I was little, my father often disciplined me harshly. He would hit me or pour cold water on me. I remember every time he hit me and so on, but at the same time, he also loved me. He said I was the one he loved the most. And I don’t understand all of this...

He hit me, but he loved me...

And I also feel confused, because out of all those boys, I was the only one he hit. He always seemed to get emotional or angry whenever I made a mistake. I never saw him hitting or scolding my brothers the way he did with me—he hit me and screamed at me.

I’m confused about all of this...

He hit me, but he loved me?

I don’t understand... My feelings are all mixed up.

I once thought, maybe it’s because I was the first child, and they say the first is like a “test,” since it’s their first time being parents too. Or maybe it’s because I’m a girl? Or maybe because I’m weaker somehow... I don’t understand... But he loved me.
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Jayciedubb · 56-60, M
Idkwts.. my dad was physically and mentally abusive as well. But he was an equal opportunist. He beat us all, ..he beat my mom too and I guess you could say my mom beat us too. She actually broke her arm spanking my sister. After that, she resorted to beating us with kitchen utincels. But those beatings paled in comparison to pops beat downs. I got my first set of sutures by age five. They're in my forehead when he threw me across the bed and I hit the nightstand. My first and only black eye came from him. And it was one of those swollen shut, red eyeball type shiners. I don't know how many fat lips. But the most humiliating was when he beat me with my own broken arm. In his defense, it wasn't the broken arm he was using but the cast that was encapsulating it. And he did it in my high school parking lot. But anyway that's not what this is about. I don't know why I do that. I go down memory lane and get stuck.

I think he might have claimed to love me maybe once or twice. I really don't recall him ever telling me but I'm sure he did. He must have. I remember one time him telling me he was proud of me. That was when I came home from war as a US Army staff sergeant, totally blowing his former Air Force rank away. I don't know why he was so proud. I didn't join because I was a patriot I joined to get the fuck away from him and when I came back I was still scared of him. I thought that would all be gone but it lasted a long time. I wasn't worried about being beaten by him anymore but he just made me nervous. He was always displeased about something and pouted until he got his way.

By the time I was in my mid-30s, I had my career going, but my house started my family had kids. All of my own without any help from anybody, especially him. But he would come by my house every now and then unannounced, and every time he'd show up, I would get that oh shit feeling, and think about all the things in my house that he was not going to approve of like my lawn needing to be mowed or my car's needing to be washed or dirty dishes in the sink. It didn't matter how prepared I was, there'd always be something that wasn't good enough for him he'd have to complain about it and be disappointed in me.

It wasn't until my kids turned almost 5 years old and maybe I was going through a midlife crisis, I don't know, but I started doing the math on everybody who claimed to be my friend or claimed to be a loving family member. I was weeding out the losers from my life. When I ran his numbers, they didn't add up. I had been cutting him so much slack because everybody said he was mean to me because his father was mean to him. When my kids are about five and I realized how easy it was not to be mean to your kids, that's when I removed him from my life. I didn't want him to interfering with my job as a father to my kids. I didn't want to disappoint him by not beating my children enough. That was over 20 years ago. We haven't spoken since.

My point is, words are words. People can say anything. You have to go by their actions to know for sure what's in their heart. Does your dad show you that he loves you or just tell you that he loves you? I'm not telling you what you should do as far as maintaining your relationship with him or not. I'm just telling you, if you're confused, don't go by their words, go by their actions.

As far as your past goes, you can carry it with you and let it Define you, or you can leave it in the past and let it remind you. I recommend the latter.
Bluebell1 · 22-25, F
@Jayciedubb I'm so proud of you for somehow getting through all that. I can relate to you about feeling nervous and all. I'm happy you have a great life with your own family now.

And about my dad, he does show me he loves me. Despite all that, I think I believe he loves me, I'm just confused, and thank you for your opinion and nice words. May you have a great life with your family.
Jayciedubb · 56-60, M
@Bluebell1 its my pleasure. Thanks for letting me vent a little. ..

As long as you feel the love that's the most important thing. I was going to say if forgiveness was needed, give it. Forgiveness is beneficial to the forgiver.

Im not sure about therapy though. Im no pro, but what I've noticed about therapy is that the therapist or the group start picking at tender old wounds until they hurt again.. im judt saying, in case you were wondering..

You have a nice day too, and thanks for the kind words.. They're so hard to come by these days, have you noticed? ..ill cherish yours today