darkemeralds: A round magical sigil of mysterious meaning, in bright colors with black outlines. A pen nib is suggested by the intersection of the cryptic forms. (Default)
darkemeralds ([personal profile] darkemeralds) wrote2010-11-06 11:02 pm

Too much of a good thing

Family.

We have this thing where we do birthdays at my sister's house. Most everyone comes, we sing happy birthday and eat cake and talk and laugh. Usually it's pretty nice.

Tonight--brother-in-law's birthday--it got to me. My oldest niece is noticeably pregnant, so there's one topic of conversation I have absolutely nothing to say about. My younger sister has a new man in her life (must be serious: he was there) whom I was meeting for the first time. Nice guy, but there's another subject I have extremely little to say about.

I had to leave, a bit more abruptly than I'm proud of, when the stress of too many people in the room made me over-react to a careless remark from that all powerful person whose careless remarks can still overthrow my commonsense, i.e., my mother.

It wasn't too terrible--I didn't storm out, I did say goodbye and happy birthday and thank you--but it didn't go unnoticed, either. There was email afterwards of the "did we offend you?" variety. Which means I probably offended them.

Gah! I knew I didn't want to go before I went, but not going would have raised at least as many questions as leaving early did. I'm way past the point of trying to explain my quirks and limitations to my family, but at moments like this I have this hellish feeling that they're coming to their own, very wrong, conclusions about what's wrong with me.

It's frustrating.
scribblemoose: image of moose with pen and paper (dance)

[personal profile] scribblemoose 2010-11-07 08:29 pm (UTC)(link)
I really admire you for getting yourself out of what was a damaging situation for you. If anyone wants to think anything less of you for it that's their choice, but don't necessarily assume they are, either. You did the right thing, which you are totally entitled to do, and should congratulate yourself on a healthy action.

scribblemoose: image of moose with pen and paper (Default)

[personal profile] scribblemoose 2010-11-07 09:29 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh yeah, I know how that works! *hugs*