Have you ever had to stand up to your parents?

"They mess you up, your Mom and Dad.
They may not mean to, but they do.
They fill you with the faults they had,
and add some extra - just for you."

Philip Larkin

I've said more than enough on here about my mother. Confrontation gets me nothing but crocodile tears, so we passively/aggressively share barbs back and forth. It will end when she passes away. I hope I have come to terms with that.

I've had to confront myself; she trained me well to always be agreeable and compliant, and put everyone else's needs before my own, especially hers. I am still learning how to say "no" to unreasonable expectations and manipulations, from her and others. It's difficult to grow a backbone at my age, and the people around me have gotten used to me saying, "okay, whatever you need/want to do." Somehow, "no" doesn't register.

And, yes, the 'cult' of Motherhood is Sacred has done me no favors.