Tuesday, July 31, 2012

We don't admit it but we've never seen eye to eye

This sums up my recent 11 day trip to my hometown. My niece got married and I helped with the coordination during the wedding and details leading up to it. I had a blast hanging out with my sister and getting to really know my niece, her new husband and nephew as adults. Lots of champagne, super fun.

Less fun was 11 days at my mom's house. My mom is a wonderful woman and we have nothing in common (except that we realized that pretzels make both of us queasy). After a few days, it starts to really get me down/make me insane. I pride myself on being strong and independent, savvy and smart, while my mom is very reserved, completely milquetoast, and prefers to fade into the background. She's very set in her ways, very skittish, very insecure (yet somehow she managed to be the first in her family to go to college, get a professional career and move overseas for several years. Alone.) But now she won't drive across town or decide where to get lunch for fear of offending someone, being wrong or causing a fuss. It makes me sad. I think she does it at great personal expense but she won't talk about it.

Which explains why I sometimes over-assert myself, defiantly stand up for myself, and like to know what's where/what's new/where to go, and why I studied conflict resolution. I can only change myself, and that's okay.

My hometown bonus: seeing old friends and getting to play Barbies with the coolest six year old around. That and getting to dance to "You're the one that I want" with my sister.

The Wombats are proving to be a fantastic summer soundtrack, can't wait to see them next month at Red Rocks! We're liking "Our Perfect Disease" a lot. Everything's better with a soundtrack.

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