Dear Mom, Is This the Truth?

Love, Your Spoiled, Entitled Daughter

Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

Dear Mom,

I missed you so deeply on my birthday. I knew it was the first of the rest of my life that I would spend without hearing your voice. It’s hard to explain to people that even though I could call you, it simply isn’t an option. To have a relationship with you is to allow abuse, to be a shell of myself, for the sake of being a good daughter.

My pain shifted to anger and shock as I was informed of your beloved “happy birthday” tribute you made to me. I wasn’t shocked to see you attribute our failed relationship to me being “spoiled and entitled.” I’ve heard that many times. I wasn’t surprised that you didn’t own up to the abuse and neglect that plagued my childhood. I was, however, completely shocked to see you refer to me as an abuser.

In therapy recently, I realized that I have lied to everyone in my life, for my entire life, to protect your image and to justify our relationship. It was extremely shocking to realize how much I have lied to myself.

I’m done covering for you, Mom. If you would like to open this discourse to the public, I am finally willing to do so — but it will be an honest one. I wonder how spoiled and entitled I will appear in light of the truth?