Dear Mary:

In a recent post you wrote: “…what I was previously taught about life. I used to believe being nice to people would always mean they’ll be nice to you in return. Apparently I was wrong”

In a previous post (August last year), you wrote: “As a child I was emotionally punished for being anything less than perfect… I was also punished for things that I hadn’t done or were not responsible for”

The most powerful teaching in our lives is what our mother teaches us, and your mother did not teach you that “being nice to people would always mean they’ll be nice to you in return”. You were nice to her, I have no doubt, as young children want nothing more intensely than to please their parents. And in return she punished you. She wasn’t nice to you in return.

In a recent post you wrote “With regards to my mom.. there finally came a point that I realized I could no longer continue living like that”- if she was nice to you in return, there wouldn’t be that suffering on your part, making life so difficult for you.

I think that this “same disturbing dream” is about your mother. What do you think?

anita