Dear Julie:

Last week when you called your mother sharing with her your anxiety, that was reaching out to her, once again, to love you, followed, once again, by hurt and disappointment (” It stabbed me hard in the heart..”)

This week you asserted yourself very well with her- excellent job! And the result, yesterday: “for the first in 4 years I enjoyed my childs birthday, I felt relaxed and happy.”

I concur, then, you are “doing right staying away from her”- because being relaxed and happy is definitely preferable to .. yet another stab in the heart.

anita