the truth about me

One true thing about me:  I am a great mother. I did a wonderful job raising my daughter. I never beat her. I was never abusive. I sacrificed to give her things, including things she wanted but did not need. I sent her to private schools, gave things up for myself so I could give to her. I loved her. I was funny with her. I was brilliant with her. I exposed her extensively to the arts: visual art, music, cello lessons, opera, theater, dance. Some years I spent more on dance training than her private school tuition.

I gave and I gave and I gave, like Shel Silverstein's book,The Giving Tree. Hey, that should be my name for my daughter to call me:  'mom, my giving tree, the giver of life'.

The truth about me:  I am a great mother and I don't deserve to have been shunned for fourteen years by my only child.