A month or two before Christmas my Great grandmother passed away. It was the first time I had lost someone so close to me. We didn’t visit her that often, but we visited enough that there was a close connection. I’d say about 6 months to a year she was diagnosed with cancer. I unfortunately don’t remember what kind it was, but it was in the last stage. A day before she passed, we got a call saying that she may not make it until the next morning. What made me even more upset was that my parents didn’t let me or my sibling go visit her personally one last time to say our goodbyes. They went and visited while my siblings and I stayed home. They did call us and we got to FaceTime with her, but all my great grandmother said to us was that she loved us ,and that she would be better soon. The next morning my mom was gonna let us go see her personally before she would be gone. Before we even left the house we got the call that she passed away. Then we held her funeral a few days after. My biggest regret was not being able to say goodbye personally. In my opinion FaceTiming isn’t a proper way to say goodbye to someone who won’t be on this earth anymore. I do think my parents regret not letting us see her when they had visited her the previous day. My advice is do not wait to visit. You never know when someone will really be gone. See them ASAP.

I been thinking real hard about even relaying these awful things about the person that I have admired the most, the person I have respected and revered my whole life but that now, has completely backstabbed me in the worst way possible. A few years ago, a scandal broke in my political family involving my mother. As you can imagine, it nearly broke my marriage and tore my husband’s family apart. My sister in law found my father in law and my mom talking on social media. The worst part of it, when I was confronted, I was accused of knowing about the whole affair and made it looked like I was an accomplice to the whole ordeal. When I had absolutely no clue to such a disgusting mess. I don’t know what neither of them were trying to accomplish and now, I’m the black sheep of the family. No one talks to me. While my father in law is still loved and honored. My mother the home wrecker and I pay the sins of her ordeals. She never once has said I’m sorry. Never! In her head, I’m better off without that side of the family. But it’s not about that; why did she do this to me? Why my father in law? Among so many men? Why him! I guess I’m just looking for an explanation and I know I will never get it from her. Because she just cannot accept she did anything wrong. I wish I could get her version because as of now, I only know everyone else’s but her’s. I always thought I didn’t need to hear her side because it’s not my place to question her, but I have kids who now have to suffer for her sins as well. I don’t think it’s fair to them either. I guess the damage is done as well and the past is the past. I won’t get nothing accomplished but I just want an acknowledgment from her part that she messed up.

• August 12, 2023