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This is just a little rant. I know I’m 36 and this probably shouldn’t bother me as much as it does, but it still does.

My mom sometimes talks about how awful my grandpa was to her when she was growing up. He was her stepdad and apparently treated her very differently than he treated her younger sister. From what she’s said, a lot of it was mentally abusive, and I know that kind of stuff can stay with you forever.

But it’s really hard for me to hear sometimes because the papaw I knew was completely different. I have nothing but good memories of him. He was always loving to me, and he’s been gone for years now. So hearing those stories kind of messes with my heart and my memories.

I know my mom went through things I’ll never fully understand, and I don’t think she’s lying or exaggerating. I think she’s still hurting from it. But sometimes I wish she could talk to someone like a therapist about it, because hearing it over and over is really heavy for me.

And honestly… I feel guilty even saying that, because I know her pain is real. But it still hurts to hear those things about someone I loved so much.

Does that make me selfish? I genuinely don’t know.
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JesseInTX · 51-55, M
So my parents were raised by fathers who fought in WWII. Mom’s dad was a cavalry scout turned tank driver. Dad’s father was a B-17 pilot. They spent years in combat killing Germans. They came home and were expected to just assimilate back into society as if nothing ever happened. That isn’t possible. They watched their friends and fellow soldiers die every day. And they didn’t know if the day would be the day they would die. That’s a hard way to live when you’re 21-25 years old. My mom and dad have always said they were hard/bad parents to grow up with, but they were wonderful grandparents to me and my brothers. As mom and dad for older they realized that when they were young the affect the war took on them and why they were the way they were.

I say that to say I would imagine your parents may have been raised by Korea or Vietnam veterans. If I’m right I can lend some insight let me know. Millions of men went to fight, and didn’t come home right even though they were expected to be.
CharityRae · 36-40, F
@JesseInTX Thank you, that actually makes a lot of sense. I’d love to hear any insight you have.