Today is June 7th. I found out today that my maternal grandmother died. My mother called to tell me. Mother found out today too. Grandma, my mom’s mom,
died on May 15, three weeks ago.
My parents are divorced. My dad has been a porn addict since before I was born. I know that contributed to his attitudes about women and the eventual failure
of my parents’ marriage. Dad is remarried to a woman who had children from a previous marriage. He and his second wife had a child together too. We
were strongly coerced to pretend we were all a cohesive family, but it never really took root.
Mom is post-abortive and believes in sexual “freedom.” She’s been married four times and now lives with a man who has never been her husband. She struggles
with depression and has attempted suicide numerous times.
I was close to my grandmother and loved her very much. Despite her death, the saddest, most injuring thing about today is how, even 36 years after their
divorce, my parents are still so awful to each other. My brother was my grandmother’s power of attorney. He and my dad talk regularly.
I’ve been shut out of my dad’s life because of my decision to have a relationship with my mom and because I told my sister that good Catholics don’t cohabitate
with their boyfriends. (I have been branded someone who tries to “force their religion” on other people.) I expected not to be told when my grandmother
died. Mom is angry. She said, “I don’t believe in hell, but I hope your father goes there.”
I think attitudes of the sexual revolution led to the demise of my parent’s marriage and all the fall out that I still experience. Divorce never stops
being destructive.
Submitted by T.K.