Anger

  • Thread starter Thread starter lovedance4ever
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
L

lovedance4ever

Guest
I have written previously about this issue, but it was quite some time ago (at least a year), and there are some updates.

I have one older sister (she is 23 years older than I…I’m 20 and she’s 43). She is my half sister, from my father’s first marriage. He was married very young, and her biological mother turned out to be very abusive…but that’s a whole other story. In short, my parents married when my sister was 8 and my mother raised my sister as her own. In all fairness, it is true that she had a very difficult childhood until my mom entered the picture and completed the family unit.

She left the church and married a Protestant minister, which devastated my family and was against my father’s wishes. In short, her husband is the most despicable human being I have ever met…and I will explain why.

When I was little (as young as 3), my sister looked at and treated me with such disgust. She had three daughters by the time I was 6, and I loved my nieces more than I can ever describe. Problem was, I always dreaded their family visits because of how my sister behaved with me. Ever though I was a child myself, she always expected me to be an adult with her children and would blame me for everything that went wrong. I remember one time in particular, she took me and one of my nieces out for a walk and pulled us in a wagon. I commented on how nice a day it was, and with nothing triggering this response, she stopped in her tracks and started screaming at me, saying I was a horrible sister, a terrible daughter to our parents, and a bad influence on my nieces. I was 6.

Her husband is extremely controlling and abusive of her…and he’s a pervert. When I was 11, I was instant messaging one of my nieces. She left the computer, and all of a sudden, I started getting perverted messages from my brother in law…saying sexually explicit things about his sex life with my sister. I didn’t really understand what it all meant, but I knew I felt icky, and looking back, I know it was.

One time when they were visiting (the lived out of town), my dad offered to by groceries for her family. She didn’t want this, so she handed me money to give to him. I tried to get him to accept it, but he wouldn’t accept it. When I handed it back to my sister, she slapped me on the arm so hard, that it turned red and a welt formed from her ring.

Another time, my oldest niece (only two years younger than I am, and EXACTLY like her father) was saying horrible things about the Catholic Church, and saying I was going to hell for my beliefs. I was 14, and defended my faith to the best of my ability…later on, I confided in my mom while we were alone, but begged her to not say anything to my sister or niece, cause I knew I would be blamed. My mom didn’t listen and scolded my niece. She went crying to her mother, and my sister read me the riot act, saying I was at fault for everything. My mom and aunt then believed that I had caused the trouble and went to comfort my niece while I stood on our front porch, being chewed out by my sister. I wanted to die. And I almost ran away that night, because I felt like I was alone in the world. Looking back, my mom knows the truth, but it doesn’t hurt any less.

I then decided to send my sister a letter, expressing my feelings and saying that I wanted a true, loving relationship with her. Her response? She never responded, and when asked about it by my mother, she said, “My non response IS my response.”

That summer, I lost it. I went to see a counselor, because my parents thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown. I closed off to the world, to my friends, to my family. It was the worst time I can ever remember going through. She cut me off from my nieces, with who I had such a close relationship (as mean as my sister was, I did have a close bond with the younger two nieces). I knew the only way to get them back was to apologize…and so I did, even though I felt like I did nothing wrong. She “accepted” and moved on.

Another event triggered some very hard feelings, but I won’t go into it since this is already so long. As bad a decision as it might have been, I sent her a second message, which I will admit, was quite harsh. But I was angry, and didn’t know what else to do. She then cut me off from all contact with my nieces for three years. No messages, no calls…absolutely nothing. I pleaded with her to allow me to talk to her daughters…and eventually apologized, but things have been rocky ever since.
 
(CONTINUED)

I know they brainwashed their daughters against me. They never want to speak to me, and when they do speak, all contact with me is monitored by their father. On top of it all, on my mom’s side of the family, my sister is thought to be some sort of queen. See, everyone on that side is Protestant, so they enjoy getting together and having Catholic bashing parties. Recently, I discovered that my sister spread some sort of rumor about me to those people, and I guess they believe it. I didn’t ask specifically (because I do not want to know), but she said something about me being an inappropriate, sexual person, which couldn’t be further from the truth. But of course, I am the evil Catholic of the family, so why not believe it? I am the black sheep. My cousins don’t speak to me, but they fawn all over my sister.

Honestly, I feel like an open wound that can’t seem to heal. I’ve become so angry, and hurt so deeply…it eats away at me, and I DO NOT want to be this way anymore. All I wanted was a normal, loving relationship with my sister, but it seems at this point that it’s best to just leave it and move on. I have stopped speaking to her. I just cannot bear the pain anymore.

I am making an appointment this coming week to speak with a priest. I know this will help me more than anything. But aside from that, if any of you have any advice that you would like to share on how to rid yourself of such anger, I’d appreciate it. I don’t feel violent, or like I could harm myself or anyone else. It is just anger at everyone…I’m especially irritable lately, and I really want to change my attitude.

I am sorry for this length…I didn’t know how else to condense it, and there is still quite a bit that I have left out. Thank you for reading and please pray for me if nothing else. God bless
 
You have been wronged many times over. No question on that point.

Important truth number one: You cannot change other people. You cannot change what they think or what they do. You can only change yourself.

What does this mean? Yes, it is hurtful that there are a number of relatives who you wish to have a relationship with that you do not have the desired relationship. And yes, that hurts. It hurts that there are people who would rather believe ill of you than to find out the truth. But you can’t make them have the relationship you wish existed (and there is nothing wrong with wishing it could be so). If people would rather believe ill of you, say bad things about you–well, you cannot change their mind in any way other than being yourself and being true to who you are.

Important truth number two. Anger, bitterness, and hatred are all poisons to the soul of the one who possesses these poisons. They do no harm to the people who have wronged you, they only harm you. This is why it is important to release these feelings because they will hurt you just as much as swallowing a glassful of battery acid would. These things are deadly.

This is why we forgive, even when someone doesn’t ask, even when they don’t deserve the forgiveness. This doesn’t mean that you have to open yourself up to further hurt, and here I’m just going to quote myself:
When a person wrongs another, the wronged person gains a “right” to retribution (i.e. lex talionis); by forgiving, the wronged party explicitly renounces that “right” and opens the door for the wrongdoer to make a new start. However, as the wronged party, you are not required to remain in a relationship/contact with the wrongdoer. It’s entirely legitimate to say that you have forgiven someone (that you no longer desire retribution against that person), but that you do not wish to have a further relationship. What you are doing in forgiving is removing anger and bitterness from yourself regarding the wrongdoer, choosing not to give that person “free rent space” in your head. In other words, you are making the choice to not dwell on the wrongs you suffered, but to look forward to a new future.
As far as the wrongdoer–well, he can choose to accept the forgiveness (in which case he would respond with contrition and a recognition of what he had done to harm the wronged party) or he can choose not to accept the forgiveness (in which case he will likely continue on the same path of wrong-doing). The wrongdoer’s choice does not impact the forgiver’s action.
This does not mean that in forgiving one must continue to offer oneself up for continued hurt (thus why I say that reconciliation is a completely separate step which must be preceded by forgiveness by the wronged party and contrition by the wrongdoer). If the wrongdoer continues to act in a harmful way, it is legitimate to cease contact–choosing to have no direct relationship with that person does not mean that you have not forgiven that person, it simply means that the door to reconciliation is closed at this time (but closed by the wrongdoer–think of those doors in hotel rooms where the rooms could adjoin and both rooms have a door–if I am in one room, I cannot enter the other unless the person in the other room opens the door also).
So in forgiveness, you make the deliberate choice (with your will) to no longer wish for retribution against the one who harmed you, pray for that person (but without telling him “I’m praying for you”), choose to not dwell on what the wrongdoer has done against you, choose not to talk to others about that person, and live your own life without anger, bitterness and hatred.
So, forgive them for not being the people you wish they were. Then think about where you can focus positive actions and thoughts, and put your concentration on those things.
 
Yes you certainly have had a dreadful run,
If I were you, I think I would think seriously about leaving them all behind,
Is there any chance of you moving completely away and starting life afresh ?
Their are some nice places with a great climate that you could perhaps move to,
For your own peace of mind,
Praying for peace for your life,,,,
 
That summer, I lost it. I went to see a counselor, because my parents thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown. I closed off to the world, to my friends, to my family. It was the worst time I can ever remember going through. She cut me off from my nieces, with who I had such a close relationship (as mean as my sister was, I did have a close bond with the younger two nieces). I knew the only way to get them back was to apologize…and so I did, even though I felt like I did nothing wrong. She “accepted” and moved on.

Another event triggered some very hard feelings, but I won’t go into it since this is already so long. As bad a decision as it might have been, I sent her a second message, which I will admit, was quite harsh. But I was angry, and didn’t know what else to do. She then cut me off from all contact with my nieces for three years. No messages, no calls…absolutely nothing. I pleaded with her to allow me to talk to her daughters…and eventually apologized, but things have been rocky ever since.
Lovedance4ever-

A couple of things:
  • Clearly it sounds like your sister has issues. Curious if she was this way before her marriage or it is a result of her marrying this man? I wonder as I read this how the rest of the family on your side view her? Do they see what your see? I assume so…
  • Christ says that we should pray for our enemies and those that persecute us. What I read here is of a person that will not respond to reason and that lacks the love of Christ. I would pray for her and her family. This may be a lifetime of your doing so but God can soften her heart and as she ages, she may soften on her own.
  • Anger on your side is not a good thing. Redirect those emotions to prayer.
  • Reach out but don’t apologize for something that you did not do.
  • Be the best Catholic Christian witness of the faith that you can be to her and her family. Show the joy and love that indwells in us. Have them wonder “what does she have that allows her to be so?” Our personal behavior is a great way to evangelize by the way…
  • Continue to read up on your faith and be able to defend it to her and others when needed. CAF is a great place for this (many excellent Tracts in the library as an example) and there are many good books to read that will enable you to do so.
  • Read the Catechism…
  • Consider attending Eucharistic Adoration on a regular basis if it available to you.
In short, continue your journey to holiness the best you can. This you can control. Be a great Catholic witness when you do see them. Pray for your sister and her family, especially when you attend Mass. Trust God to do the rest.

PnP
 
Lovedance4ever:

I have very similiar issues with both of my sister. They have never accepted me even when I was very young. They enjoyed bullying me and continue this on fb and even allow my nieces to do the same even though they do not know me since I live 4 states away from them.

They love to throw anti-Catholic rhetoric my way even though I have never discussed Catholicism with them. However, I do know where this is coming from and it is coming from one sister in particular. She is also loved by everyone even though she stole $10,000 from my Mom—money that took my Mom forever to save from her meager pay raising 4 children and put her in an early grave from grief.

Long story short, I get where you are coming from. Boy, do I ever. I have chosen to forgive them but to also cut off ties with them because my heart can no longer take this hurt. I have done everything for them from taking in my sister’ 45 yr old son that was living on the streets to taking in my other sister for 5 yrs even after she stole from our Mother because she had nowhere else to go. I have always sought their acceptance I have decided to give this to God and to go on. Please do the same because it is really just too painful otherwise.

I will pray for you and maybe you might also pray for me.
 
Your family sounds pretty dysfunctional. In reality, if you want to be healed of a lot of this you may have to “let them all go” and move on. If you brother in law is a pervert you better make sure he is not abusing any of his own children. Otherwise stay away from him for your own sake.

I have seen and worked with several dysfunctional families, and all too often the best answer for those who are trying to make headway out of this mess is to cut ties, stop apologizing and move on to their life with the help of friends. Staying in the middle of the commotion only keeps you tethered to it.
 
I’m really sorry about all of this. My advice would be to focus on the good people in your life and cut these ones out. It’s not worth your time and energy after a certain point. And your sister’s husband sent you sexually explicit material when you were 11? Did you tell anyone about that? It’s illegal.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top