Dear Choccoffeewine:

You wrote: ” Raised with the belief we are supposed to love and respect our parents, no matter what”-

Children automatically love their parents no matter what, no matter who the parents are. And we are raised to continue to do so… no matter what.

But if nature took it upon itself to protect you from the distress of loving your mother by numbing your feelings for her, then take nature’s numbing-mercy with gratitude and don’t struggle to love her. You are numb for a reason- loving her is harmful to you.

anita