I Just Read Your Email...
When you get a message like this, when someone showers you with their interpretation of your actions, it doesn’t just make you feel bad, it makes you question yourself.
I don’t think anyone, except a small part of my unconscious self, expected there to be an update to my last newsletter so quickly. Within two hours of sending it, I received an email from a close friend of my mother’s. It started with “I just finished reading your latest newsletter and I must say that it truly upset me.”
I knew what it was going to say. I knew I shouldn’t read it. I knew it would only upset me. But I’m a glutton for punishment.
She went on to say that I was out of line talking about my family. She then went on to list all the things my mother has done for me, for us – my husband and I. As if I’m not aware. As if she wasn’t now doing the exact thing she was scolding me for - divulging information that wasn’t hers to share.
She went on to tell me that comparing my dad’s babysitting skills to the family dog was cruel. That wasn’t the part that hurt though (though it felt like an unnecessary cruel word to use). What bothered me most about this woman and her email is three weeks ago, she texted me asking if I was still writing the newsletter. “I haven’t gotten it in my inbox in weeks,” she said. “I miss it! I love hearing about your life.”
I told her I was still writing it. I sent her the link. She signed up again right away. So what turned from ‘I love hearing about your life’ to “As you mentioned in your article, you felt the need to share your thoughts with your readers. I disagree,” hit me with the force of an open palm with the rings turned.
Then again, I should have seen it coming.