I hesitated to share this, thinking it too oddly personal to our family, but my sister — the one mentioned here who later learned to deal with unspoken codes as part of her professional life — said I should, arguing it might speak to others who grew up with this sort of secrecy and reluctance/inability to share family stories and the emotions they contain:
Lovely and so true. Reminded me of growing up...with grandparents who never spoke my mother's name nor their other dead child, a son. No pictures in the house of either.
Interesting and well done. I have to say that I didn’t experience mom not speaking of dad, though. I thought she did with regularity and that kind of life-long love-of-your-life love that we all yearn for. But it’d be great to discuss the whole when we’re all together next!
Thanks, Sis. Of course, I'm not saying there wasn't life-long love; there clearly was. But at least/especially when I was young, this describes how it felt to me.
Lovely and so true. Reminded me of growing up...with grandparents who never spoke my mother's name nor their other dead child, a son. No pictures in the house of either.
It's so hard for so many to deal with grief. It's an essential part of being human, but that doesn't make it any easier.
Interesting and well done. I have to say that I didn’t experience mom not speaking of dad, though. I thought she did with regularity and that kind of life-long love-of-your-life love that we all yearn for. But it’d be great to discuss the whole when we’re all together next!
Thanks, Sis. Of course, I'm not saying there wasn't life-long love; there clearly was. But at least/especially when I was young, this describes how it felt to me.
Thanks for sharing, Chris, well put. Sarah was right. Very resonant.
Universal, I think. You nailed it.
Those of us who have Midwest roots are also painfully familiar with the lumpy living room, under which all sensitive/delicate topics are swept.
I absolutely love this!! 💕