Parents

Well, I went to my parents' for their 50th wedding anniversary. Wow, can you imagine being with the same person for 50 years....my mom is a saint...or is it my dad who is a saint. Wait maybe it is me who is the saint who has put up with them for 45 years. Anyway you look at it, that is a long time to be with one person and quite an accomplishment.


The big surprise of visit was that it was uneventful. There were no sarcastic comments about me and my gender and how I was inferior, no comments about my intelligence and how that was inferior (even though I have had better grades than my brothers ALL of my life up and including my doctorate), they mentioned my son (usually he doesn't exist as a grandchild), in fact, it was almost down right positive. I was actually at a loss for words and quite dumbfounded. Every day I was there I kept saying to my husband..."tomorrow will be the day that the proverbial sh$$ hits the fan". BUT it never did. It leaves me wondering.

One of my brothers actually said that he was worried about me when I had the surgery last December (my hysterectomy). I asked why he was worried and he responded because I seemed so sick. I thought about that and wondered how he figured that out. No one really ever called before hand and I was VERY sick. I just told them I couldn't come up for Christmas because I was having the surgery on Dec 21st and getting out of the hospital on the 24th. My family's response was...just drive here on the 24th then...you will be fine. You can drive half way and your husband the other half while you rest. (Yep that is how considerate they were.) Now 6 months later there is a complete turn around and I get that one of them was worried because I was so sick. The turn around is just baffling. He kept asking if I was ok now. I just don't understand it all. Of course maybe it was because I told them all off in an email right before the surgery because I was sick of their attitudes towards me....maybe they thought I needed mental help because I didn't think driving 12 hours 3 days after major surgery was advisable...who knows. All I know is that for once I had an enjoyable visit with my family without having to be a hard, cold, person who always has to stick up for myself and my small family. I didn't count every minute until I could leave. It was just weird.

All I can think is that they are finally maturing and also realizing I will not let them push me around anymore. I won't be a second class citizen based on some outdated socialistic concept from the 1900s that has women subservience to men and placed on earth to cook, clean, and have children not to mention are not as smart as men.  It is a lot to take in and hard to imagine a semi-normal relationship with them.

I know everyone....I won't hold my breath....I am sure it won't last.