"The traffic felt like another personal attack. Another kind of boxing in, not giving her room, impeding her. It made her angry, and it made her sad. She'd felt trapped so long by her mother's illnesses--mental and otherwise--even after she left home. The relationship she craved from both her parents kept eluding her. And now, just when she thought she might have a chance at building something with her dad, there was another needy woman in his life. Somebody else with a claim on his time, his focus, his emotional energy. Would Jenny ever get to be the focus? Even for an hour? A minute?"
Family dynamics have an impact long after those who were our parents are gone. Developing awareness about how those dynamics assist us or hurt us is a long, complicated process. Will they continue to shape our days in patterns of worry and sadness for things we could never have controlled? Or will we manage to break free enough to make new paths that include joy and freedom on our journey? It can take a lot of intentional effort and a lot of trial and error before we find a way that suits us better, that feels like our own.
Sometimes Jenny found herself locked in isolated patterns of negative emotional responses that weren't quite suited to what was actually happening. And those responses made her turn even more inward, made her tighten her grip on the familiar rather than risk opening up to something new.
If you'd like to read more about her journey you can find her story here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTGJTFFH
I hope you like it.
