OH - Do I soooo agree with you about toxic people! My mother is the toxic one in my life who caused so many divisions between myself and my brothers and their families. I have decided it is for my best health to stay clear of her and the drama she has caused in my life although I do feel very, very sorry for her. She is 82, lives alone and just sits in her house at her kitchen table all day. No one comes to visit her -- not even my 3 brothers. So what does that tell you?
I LOVE her lots; but I don't Like her -- if you know what I mean. You would think that at 82 she would want to see all her children get along and get together without incidences.[/quote]
Wow, we must be SISTERS, LOL. You just described my mother to a T. My parents, 4 brothers, and I all live within 5 miles of each other. We never have family get togethers, or even celebrate Christmas together because of her. I have one brother that I have not seen since 1999, because of my mother. As I look back, I think my mother has had a mental illness all of her adult life. However, she is paranoid and in denial. She refuses to get treatment. She believes she does not have a problem, but that everyone else does. Her constant negativity makes me stay away from her for my own mental health, she makes me very depressed. And now to make things worse, I believe she is starting to show signs of dementia. But she is my mother and I love her. It has made me try to be the best mother to my 2 children that I possibly can.