Sunday, April 25, 2004

Mom’s 84th

My mother's 84th birthday was yesterday.

mom_smile_hawaii_320
Mom - Kona, Hawaii 2004


I attended a small dinner in her honor at my brother's house. Things went okay for a while until my sister-in-law started her usual arguments to anything I said. If I said the sky is blue she would say the sky is pink. Sheesh!

I can only guess why she has become so vindictive towards me? I can't say I particularly like her but I do not wish her ill will. She does seem to have it in for me. Unfortunately, I think the time has come where I can no longer accept invitations to their house. It's too uncomfortable and it is also not fair to subject other attendees to this. I had agreed to attend these "family" events in hopes of not creating a family ruckus and hurt my parents. It now is out of control so I will no longer attend these events. My sister-in-law as created a poisonous atmosphere. Something she has done within her own family I should also note.

Apparently, from her point of view, my lifestyle is worthy of contempt. I don't see anything in my life that is worthy of such a view but from her point of view I do not meet her standards. Meanwhile, she is content to be ignorant of world affairs and disdains anyone that actually reads and attempts to learn things through study and gathering of facts from a wide variety of sources. If she can't see it and smell it, it's not worthy of her attention.

Again, I don't wish her ill will (which is in contrast to her maliciousness towards me) but I will no longer purposely put myself in this position. If my family disowns me over this, so be it. I know what I have done to try be helpful to everyone in my family over the years even though I have endured hurtful aspersions, abuse of my generosity in time and experience, and little acknowledgement for my efforts. I put more stock in actual accomplishments as opposed to talking about it. I have no regrets in this regard.

What will be will be.