It Was An Attempt to Hurt Me Deeply

My brother came over to visit.

After two or three days spent talking, going two steps forward and two back, I finally said all that I could to put an end to the relationship. I felt tired from dragging a dead thing tied to my ankle. He responded: You're just like your mother. My mother stops talking to people in a temper tantrum sort of way: if she doesn't get what she wants she punishes. I stop when I finally figure out the other person doesn't have the ability to stop doing the same thing over and over which I have clearly stated I find offensive. It's an I can't change you but buddy, I sure can change me type of thing.

Big difference.

Rather than hurting me, it served to simply piss me off. I am nothing like my mother. Thirty years ago had he said that I'd be a puddle of tears. Today I just wonder why he thought that was the worst he might say. It confirmed for me that he didn't know me. That is not where I can hurt. He thought, I would care. He thought I would have doubt and crumble. He thought I might secretly imagine it true. I think it was a projection. He meant to hurt me deeply, but instead I turned and walked away. And that's really all I have to say about that.

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