Category: Self Improvement (Page 1 of 2)

Family is Practice for Real Life

September 5, 2018 / Suzette / 0 Comments

Typed Text From Journal Page (spelling errors may have been corrected):

12/09/05

It is almost the close of another day, a Friday. I find myself frustrated and confused Em about what it is that you want and expect of me. One moment you’re in a good mood, happy, and we’re getting along great. And within minutes, or even seconds you mood has shifted and you’re angry or upset. I feel as if I can never win, and I simply cannot keep up with your pace. The truth of this all is that I feel as if I have failed as a mother – somehow, there is something I neglected to do. I don’t know how to help you. My fear for you is that you’ll be great in the outside world and unhappy in your heart. I have seen adults live their lives this way. Your father is like that. Everyone thinks he’s just great. But with intimacy, partnership, a human relationship – that is still missing. The worst part about it is that I’m disallowing your brother the space and opportunity to express how you are effecting him. I apologize for that Brandon. I don’t want you to be a man that is short, mean, and cruel with women, and I don’t want Emma to think that she deserves to be mistreated by men. But I think I need to begin to allow you, Brandon, to let her know directly when she is hurting the relationship. I do want you to be able to tell people, especially your partner, that harm is occurring in the relationship. I simply do not wish for your expressions to be angry or visceral – you will only bring embitterment to yourself. My worries for the two of you are joint and individual. As brother and sister and as human beings I don’t want or wish for you to struggle in your relationships with people as I have. I did not have the guidance of a mother, or a father and I’ve had to learn as I go. But, I do know what I wish for you, and it is nothing but an amazing, productive life. It seems Emma that we have a few amazing or positive moments a day, or perhaps every few days. I cannot imagine you having this level of a relationship with someone you choose as a mate or someone who chooses you. It does not feel pleasant to walk on egg shells around someone you’re “suppose” to love. I say suppose, because family love should just come naturally, it is built-in. It should not be earned, it does not need to grow through time, it simply is. Family is where you’re “suppose” to have love without conditions, without the need to earn it, or worry about losing it. Family is practice for real life, for strengthening that which we need to begin with someone else – to spread out, to share, to grow. When we’re ready, we find someone of our own with which to compart that which we’ve nurtured and made prosperous. Both of you have to help each other through this journey. That which one of you does not understand or finds difficulty accomplishing the other must assist. You will need each other, similar to how I need someone from my family – someone that know me and understands where I have been. I’ll never have that. You two are this very thing for each other. When you come to the place where you can see this to be true I want you both to be standing together, not apart. Together, to understand it, to feel it, and to appreciate that you are seeing it together.

As Always,

Your Mother

Pushed to One’s Limit

September 4, 2018 / Suzette / 0 Comments

November_7_05

Typed Text From Journal Page (spelling errors may have been corrected):

We never know what people are capable of doing until you push them to their limits. This can be both a positive as much as a negative outcome. Up until this moment in my life I have unfortunately only seen the negative impact of someone’s limits being met. Perhaps some day I will see a magnificent positive outcome. Perhaps, someday my children, you will push your boundaries, expanding them and recreating them. What keeps people from becoming completely horrible people, when pushed too far, in their sense of rational, logical thought – one’s ability to control oneself. Without this, we give in to the “animal” response of human nature. I worry about you, my Emma. You have a tendency to five in to this response. I don’t know if it is because you wait too far before you bring a conflict to a head, or if it is because you lack the tools to clearly and more positively express your worries and concerns. The worse part of all of this is that no matter how much I try, the various approaches I can come up with, the various solutions I may offer none fit. and the bottom, bottom line is that none will “fit” until you decide you are ready to change the way you cope and deal with your conflicts.

Don’t Half Swing – You’ll Never Get to Base

August 11, 2018 / Suzette / 0 Comments

Jan_25_05

Typed Text From Journal Page (spelling errors may have been corrected):

1/25/05

Hey babies:

You’re both doing well. Em, you have truly made an effort at improving your attitude over the past few days. I hope you see how great your life can be given all of your positive attributes. You have sooo much to offer if you continue to perform at the level you’ve been performing. Your cooking is going well. We’ll see how the project ends/continues. I think I should also write your journal. Your karate is going great. You are advancing quite nicely. I hope you’re proud.

Bubba, diving has proven to be a real task. Unless I ride you, or take away privileges you just don’t motivate yourself to finish things. You need to be self-motivated Brandon. You need to do what needs doing and learn to follow through. Don’t “half swing” at life – you’ll never get to base.

I love you guys – Momma

Things Money Cannot Buy

August 9, 2018 / Suzette / 0 Comments

Jan_10_05

Typed Text From Journal Page (spelling errors may have been corrected):

1/10/05

Today was a good day-

Emma, you joked about having a migraine and how it was a by-product of having been good. You said you studied, and worked hard, and paid attention and didn’t talk. Whew! that must have been hard for you. No wonder you got a migraine. You took your first full pill. Yeah! it was cut into four pieces no bigger than a peppercorn, each, and you still made a scene – but you swallowed them in less than 7 min. You’re doing well in Karate – Sensei strengthens you. He does not provide, merely brings out that which you already have.

Brandon, you seem in good spirits today. it is always good to see you smile and fell you light hearted and spirited. it brings me a sense of relief and happiness. You wrote a good letter to John, I’m proud of you. It is actually a little stronger than I expected. Maybe you won’t let people take advantage of you when you get older! 🙂

I only want the best for the two of you. That does not mean fancy cars and expensive things. It means the best life – and money cannot buy that.

I love you both sooooo much.

We will never be apart.

Love, Momma

At Your Age

August 8, 2018 / Suzette / 0 Comments

Jan_9_05

Typed Text From Journal Page (spelling errors may have been corrected):

1/9/05

My It’s really 1/10/05, because it’s 1:22 in the morning. I decided to finally go to bed so I go make my rounds. Emma, I check to see that you are covered. Brandon, I walk upstairs to make sure you’re okay. I find you with the T.V. on and on the computer. Earlier I had to get on your case about not following through on the diving memos.

What am I suppose to do. I figure I let you slide on too much just because I am usually taken up w/Emma’s NEEDS. I warned you that if you’re not handling your stuff you’re not to ask me about the guys.

Every time I reprimand one of you my stomach turns. I ask God for help and guidance. I look for strength in every crevice. You both need structure and clear expectations. I thought I was giving you both those things, but I realize you both have too much. You want, I give. I’ll need to set some time aside tomorrow/today to list what is expected. If you both continue to not “get it” you’ll get a real feel of what it was like for me as a child.

You have more than I could ever dream of having at your age. Brandon, by your age I was married and making a home for myself and my husband. Emma, I was barely getting my own room at yours.

I need to set some limits. I need to pull back. I need to provide the learning I feel you both lack – You need to learn discipline in all aspects of your life.

Love – Momma

Re-Boot

August 7, 2018 / Suzette / 0 Comments

Dec_29_04

Typed Text From Journal Page:

12/29/04

A tsunami off the coast of Sumatra sent waves crashing as far as Africa to the east and Malaysia to the west, across Sri Lanka and Indonesia, India, Thailand, Myanmar.

Estimates of 100,000 dead haunt the news. The images of the devastated people grip my heart as I think of my own. Emma, we are struggling. You are a strong willed child, and I find nothing wrong with that spirit. What I find destructive is your seeming selfishness and volatile behaviour as a result. I read the headlines and see the broken faces and wonder if you will ever get it.

Brandon, my fears for you are that life is so much more than you act it to be. You sit around too much. There is much that you want, but you don’t do anything to get it. E.G. have you finished SCUBA?…No! I give you too much space. I give both of you too many choices and too much room to make mistakes. I have mistaken that space for room to spread your wings. It has instead given you room to lose your balance – as you reach to hold the wall it is too far from your reach. I need to bring those walls back in. I need to keep you focused. I need to remind you I still call the shots. I will never take away your senses of individuality and freedom, but something is not right and I need to fix whatever that is.

For beginners:

Brandon, you will write a musical piece for the current events in Asia.

Emma, you will write the lyrics.

Love, Momma
12:39 a.m.

Brandon – You’re at Trevors
Emma – You’re w/dad.
I’m in bed thinking of you both.

We Can’t Save Our Fathers

August 5, 2018 / Suzette / 0 Comments

Jan_4_04

Typed Text From Journal Page:

1/4/04

A new year begins – and I look forward to opportunity and chance. The opportunities offered by my gains and the chance to live a better life. As i sit here there are a thousand thoughts running through my head. Emma, you’re in your room, I’ve just tucked you in, and your crying silently over your dad. No one can save him from himself. He is a man who refuses to take responsibility for himself and his actions, his choices, his mistakes. A habit you have unconsciously developed. You are too busy in your emotions trying to save him and you can’t sweaty. I tried saving my dad. I tried for too long. It does not hurt anymore, but I wish he were in my life. I am looking forward to working with you on on your feelings this year. There are a few new things I want to try. Maybe if we work on your writing at night, reading together, learning how to make projects, you can find a way to channel your emotions in a productive and self-satisfying manner. I know it is hard. But you are strong – you are not too young. I was trying to save grandpa at your age, maybe even younger. I can tell you countless adventures, but what good would that do?

We Keep Fighting This Fight

August 4, 2018 / Suzette / 0 Comments

May_5_03

Typed Text From Journal Page:

5/6/03

Brandon –

We keep fighting this fight. I don’t know what you’re afraid of, I don’t know what motivates you, but you keep lying to me.

One lie only breeds more lies. One day you’ll find yourself in a place where you will look around and not recognize your surroundings. But you won’t want to confess so you’ll pretend you know where you are – but you won’t. It breaks me up to se eyou hurt yourself this way. It breaks me up to see you not think about how much pain I feel over your actions. I am at a loss. I don’t know what to do. Today it’s homework and girlfriends, tomorrow it’s your relationships and your family. Honesty is something so sacred. It is the only thing one can build on. It is the solid foundation of any long lasting structure. How can you have anything else, if you do not begin with what you know is real.

I do not recall if I ever told you the whole story of Hector, and our break-up. Suffice it to say that is was because of his dishonestly. I believe that relationship would have lasted were it not for that. Any problem can be weathered if there is honesty, Brandon. Yes, emotions will fly, but what else do you expect? Emotions won’t always fly, but you can not expect that things happen with consequences. Don’t ever do something you not take responsibility for. If you do, then ‘fess up to what you have done. Don’t learn to do something that will cost you your life.

I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what to say. I feel like I don’t know you. I hate that feeling.

Chicken Pox!

August 3, 2018 / Suzette / 0 Comments

Mar_31_98

Typed Text From Journal Page:

3/31/98 10:00 pm

You got the chicken pox two days ago – 3/29 to be accurate. You did not go to your game 3/30 although your father made a guest appearance. I called him to tell him you were quite possibly sick with the pox and would not be playing. He just called, a day and a half after finding out you were sick, to see how you were doing. He said he would bring you some books tomorrow after work. In a way I was hoping he did not call, I was disappointed when he did. So I tell myself, “sure, at 10:00 at night after his shit is taken care of!” Justifying my feelings. I realize that is the extent of your fathers expression of love. I suppose it is love. How can it not be – you are his son. I am sure in his warped ill-sensed way he loves you. He can only display that love through “pieces” for show. I suppose you have with you the memories you create while with me and the objects you possess of him. You get us both, just differently. I do not believe I will ever like your father. Mostly because he does not do things the way I do. A large part however is because he lives in world (sic) so dysfunctional that it infects your world – at least right now he does. Perhaps someday he will change. I still wonder, where will he be for you? Emma has her own issues with him. Where will be be for her?

I am not the greatest
I am not the best
I do love you

Momma

I Wonder

July 31, 2018 / Suzette / 0 Comments

Jan_5_98

Typed Text From Journal Page:

1/5/98 10:04

My darlings,

I hear you cough in the next room, rustle the blankets, look for sleep to fall onto your eyes. What do you think of as you lie in your beds waiting for sleep to come. Do you listen to my movements as I do yours. Do you wonder what I am doing as I write about you in the next room unbeknownst to you. Do you wonder why I do not let you stay up with me, as I struggle to make the most out of the hours that I find for myself at the end of the day. And even those are spent for you. Thinking about you, loving you, planning fro you, wanting only the best for you. I struggle with my self every single day. I try to be good, I wonder if I truly am, I try to be honest and fair, teach you right, wrong, okay, exceptions to the rules, absolutes, maybes.

Emma, this afternoon you spoke of going with daddy this weekend. I encouraged your thoughts, you feel like you should love him so. We wished he would stay home with you and not work. I said, “let’s cross our fingers.” You responded, “okay, tonight when I suck on my blankie I’ll have my thumb in my mouth and my other fingers crossed, like this.” As you displayed your planned pose for the evening. We ate dinner, you bathed, you played, and come time for you to finally fall asleep – after a talk and night-night songs – you crossed your fingers and began to suckly your thumb. I asked you why were we suppose to cross our fingers and you said, “for no scary thoughts and so daddy doesn’t work on Saturday.” My girl. My girly girl.

Brandon, you seem so strong on the outside sometimes. You too had a tough day. I have to nurture you in such a different way. You don’t express much emotion about your dad but I wonder, what is it that you don’t say. I worry about how to raise you. What to say to you, how strong to be with you, how soft, how gentle. I worry because you are such a sensitive boy and you hurt, but you are so good about holding on, keeping the faith. Do you shrug some things off like I do? Do you resist being harmed by something long term? How do you see things, how do you see me, your dad, what do you think of life, people? Does your relationship with your father do anything for you? If so, what, if not, why not?

I love you guys.

Good night

Mom 12:08

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