My Father Undermined My Work for Years. The Email I Received Exposed the Truth.
"Cease running around naked in the streets, bringing shame upon our family!" my father sent via email. It was the night before my birthday, and I had just released an emotionally resonant piece that received positive feedback. New York Times After numerous friends and female pupils informed me that they found my insights both enlightening and beneficial, I viewed it as a significant achievement. However, now staring at my computer screen, I felt like an utter disappointment for hurting someone whom I cherished deeply. I was a contentedly married, well-liked educator in my fifties who had undergone extensive therapy for many years under a mentor-like figure. This therapist assisted me in quitting both alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking—a habit I also shared with my biological dad. However, despite this progress, I found myself reverting to feeling like a young girl during family dinners in Michigan as I voiced an opi...