A Glowing Reunion

Christmas blessings to you all. If you're here, then you're hurting, and I'm truly, truly sorry for your pain and suffering. I know. I understand. Please just know that you are not alone. God loves you, and He knows everything and more about what you're going through. Still, I know firsthand that even that divine truth cannot dull a heartache. Even when we try to let go and give our hurts completely to Him. We are human, and we hurt when those we love so deeply cut us out of their lives and toss us away like rags. Why can't they forgive and let go of their own anger long enough to allow healing? Why can't they see how precious and fragile life is and that someone we cherish can be gone in a fleeting moment? 

Here is a Christmas story that I helped write for Guideposts The Joys of Christmas 2014. God bless you, friends, and keep you tight within His arms, today and always.

Estrangement hurts, no matter the time of year

Here comes Thanksgiving. Next comes Christmas. I've already heard some people say how much they dread the holidays. For them, what used to be a wonderful time of the year has turned into painful remembrances of family times before. I feel some of that, too. Once upon a time, my former husband, our two children, and I hosted Christmas in our home. My parents came. So did my bachelor uncle. Another uncle, his wife and their sons did, too. We shared Christmas Day dinner and presents by the tree. One year, the guys "smoked" grapevines. My son will never forget that.

But those days are gone. Our divorce put a knife in future shared holidays. The knife went into our kids, too. Even though they're both grown, now they don't have their childhood "home" any more with both their parents there. It's Mom's house. Or Dad's house. 

Add estrangement to the holidays, and it REALLY....what's a nice word?.....STINKS. Last week, I received this heart-breaking letter from a woman who found this blog. With her permission, I'm sharing it with you so you, too, can pray for her and all the hurting people who are separated for whatever reason from the ones they love.

Dear Sheryl;

I need prayer help for my entire family. My family consists of my mother, my daughter and son-in-law, six brothers, and two half-sisters.  My siblings and I experienced much abuse and sadness for most of our childhood. My father passed away five years ago. My mother abandoned all of her children in the early 1980s and doesn't acknowledge any of us in any way, like we don't exist. 

 

I have been praying for my mother for years. I want her to find peace and love. She is 74 and does not believe in God. I truly want my mother to feel love, blessings, healing, joy, and good will. I know I need much help with my prayer requests, as I cannot do this alone any more. 

 

My entire family needs prayer, healing, forgiveness, and love. I hope you will join me in prayer to save my family members from over 30 years of hurt and pain. It's time for forgiveness and healing.

 

Bless you all for helping my family. Tammie

My brother and me with our little cousins, Christmas 1967.

With time healing can come

Now and then, we receive prayer requests from hurting parents, mostly mothers, via this blog. Recently, Cindy, a mom who's contacted me numerous times about her estranged teen son, wrote me a positive update. 

With her permission, I'm sharing here to give you hope:

"Sheryl, I just got back from Reno, Nevada, where my son goes to school. I must say, everything you told me is true! It does change. And I am thanking the Lord everyday that my son and I have a relationship once again. I want you to know that a MOM should never give up and always have faith in the ones they love! It's hard being so far away from him, but at the same time, I am so very proud of him."

Praise God! Thank you so much for sharing, Cindy!

Writing an "I'm sorry" letter

Dr. Joshua Coleman in San Francisco specializes in family estrangement issues. I get updates and info by email regularly. Now and then, I like to share what he sends out, like this recent advice on writing a "letter of amends."

According to Dr. Coleman, the most important ingredients of a letter are:

• Make a fearlessly honest admission of your mistakes to your child. Leave out the reasons, justifications, or any other detail that makes it sound like he or she has no right to complain.
  
  
• Express heartfelt empathy for how your child may have felt in response to your behavior.
  
  
• Avoid responding to your child's anger or sadness by defending yourself. There are times to provide the reasons for your behavior or choices, but not in the act of making amends.

• Express gratitude to your child, both at the beginning and at the end of making amends, for taking the time to hear you out.
  
  
• Let your child know that you are open to talking about this again whenever he or she wants in the future. 
  
  
  "I understand that some of you may have already tried to make amends," he says. "But most of the time when people feel like they're written a good letter of amends, they actually haven't. Not because they didn't want to. But because it's really difficult to do!"

Annette shares

Nearly two years ago, a hurting mother wrote and shared her heartache with me. Last week, she sent me a happier update. With her permission, I'm sharing her "then" and "now" letters in hopes of encouraging other hurting parents who are separated from their children....

October 2011 
Thank you so much for posting your honest feelings about your divorce situation and your then teenage son. Reading your story gave me so much hope for the future as currently, my relationship with my 16-year-old son has deteriorated to the point of almost no contact what so ever.

He's missed my birthday two years in a row. The last time I saw him was Mother's day 2011, but only because it's in the decree that he HAS to be with me on that weekend. My heart is broken. I send texts, emails, and call his cell. I rarely get a response.
 
My new life away from his dad is complicated. Like most people, I've remarried (his father did. too). My husband now is thoughtful man who is funny and great but has never been married or had kids. It's an adjustment for all of us everyday as we all get used being “blended.”

My 16-year-old lives with his father. I have physical custody of our 11-year-old son.  My ex can be cruel and knows my weaknesses very well. He makes no effort to help my 16-year-old keep in touch with me. He doesn't remind him about my birthday and seems to make it a point to schedule big fun “new-family” events, like vacations to exotic places, right around the time of my birthday so both kids forget. Then he’ll play dumb, as if he's forgotten what day my birthday is.
 
My mom, sister and my husband all think I need to get tougher with my ex and play the same kinds of games he does. But I don't see it that way. I won't use my kids the way he does or deny them mini vacations with their dad just to get back at my ex. Even though it hurts me, I am thinking of the kids. I know at least one of us HAS to be the better person. I know it's not ever going to be him so it better be me. But, of course, being the “better person'” comes with consequences–my feelings get hurt. All the time.
 
This morning when I got up and saw that my ex had sent what seems like a million texts to my now 11-year-old son (he got him a cell phone for his birthday so my 11- year-old can call him ALL the time and knows that if I complain he can get me for blocking access to his child). I got so sad.

Here I am telling my 11-year-old that he should text or call his dad, thanking him for the birthday wishes and I know that over at the other house, NONE of that ever happens on my behalf. I don't matter and in the best case scenario, they wish I didn't even exist. I miss my son so much.  I am so sad.

My 16-year-old son is a straight A student. He has lots of friends and is now involved heavily in his step-mom’s church (who, by the way, refuses to allow my kids to call her a step mom and makes them call her mom). He has his mother figure. It makes me wonder if I even matter anymore?
 
But reading your posts on the message board gives me a little glimmer of hope. Maybe in time he will feel close to me again and want to be part of my life. I certainly hope so.
 
In the meantime, I will hope and pray for better things to come. I will try and be patient, and I will try very hard to keep hope alive in my heart. I will remember your story and hope that one day, my story with Jason will have a happy ending as well.
 
Thanks so much for posting it!
Annette

September 2013 
Just wanted to send you an update about my now 18-year-old son and I.

 
On Saturday, I sent him a text, letting him know that I was thinking of him and hoped he was doing well. Since I have sent texts like this before, I wasn't expecting a reply. But I was wrong. He called me!
 
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to answer my phone, but he left me the nicest voice mail, updating me on his life and thanking me for attending graduation. It was so lovely to hear from him. He sounded so normal ,and it just brought me to tears. I called him back on Sunday, and we had a nice long conversation. He told me about his life now and what college he would be attending. He told me he got a job at UPS and what crazy hours he'd be working. I told him how proud I was of all that he had accomplished and what a responsible young adult he'd become. Overall, the conversation was just really lovely.
 
I think he just needed space to heal after the divorce, which is what I gave him. There was no pressure from me to reconcile or reminders of what he owed me as my child. I let that all go. I just sent the occasional text here and there. But basically I asked God to please take over this situation. Then I let go completely. And when I did, good things happened.
 
It's not all rosy yet, I am sure there will be bumps along the way and trust must be rebuilt on both sides, but it's a start.

Much love, Annette

Dear B.

I haven't ever spoken about it here, but I have another broken bond in my family. I've kept it private, and I will continue to keep the details private. But this morning, I've got to get some things out.

This broken bond, like so many you all have shared with me through the years, affects a child. He's caught in the crossfire. Because the adults in his life are angry, this child is banned from communicating with family. One of them is me.

I feel so cheated.

I feel angry.

I feel hurt.

I'd always dreamed of having a special relationship with this child. He'd come spend time with me in the summer. We'd swim in the river, play some games, look for caterpillars in the yard, have a Coke float, maybe swing in the hammock and watch lightning bugs.

That never happened.

And it never will.

He's growing up fast. 

I know because I saw photographs of him this morning.

Which triggered this hurt and anger.

He and I are both being cheated from knowing one another.

If I could, I'd write him a letter. I'd have to keep all the adult junk out of it, of course. You know, like why he's not allowed to talk to me or come see us. Why the adults in his life are angry with me and are so selfish to keep him from knowing his family. But I'd like him to know at least how much I love him. How much I've missed having him in my life. How hard I've tried to reach out to him. How proud I am of the young man he's becoming and where he's headed in life.

I miss you, B. I love you so very, very, very much. And I hope someday, when it's your choice, you'll come see me and stay a night or two. Then together, we can sit beneath the stars, and you can share your dreams with me. Finally.

November 24, 2014
Dear B.
I miss knowing you so much. Please know that. We all do. We should all be a part of each other's lives, but we're not. I can't change that or fix it. All I can do is watch you grow from a far. And that's on a very limited basis. When you can, please reach out to us. We love you!!!!!   

Longing for hope in the season of hope

Longing... looking... searching... hoping... wishing.... I couldn't quite decide which word to use for titling this post. Because they all fit. That's what we do in an estranged relationship. Long for hope. Look for hope. Search for hope. Wish for hope. Especially during the holidays, one of the most difficult times of year.

Vicki wrote me last August and shared her heart-breaking story about being separated from her grown son and his anger and resentment toward her. She asked for prayers. Last week, she wrote me again, and I asked if I could share her letter. She said yes...   

"Dear Sheryl, Thank you for posting my prayer on your prayer list for August. I have received one phone call from my son, and our conversation did not go well. My son feels that I should support him financially for all the missing years, and this broke my heart even further. He is 26 years of age and living with his father and stepmother. I have no money to give to my son, and he is fully aware of my situation.

"As I mentioned in my previous email, my ex-husband has brainwashed my son for 23 years with anger and resentment toward me and my other son. I wanted with all my heart and soul for the marriage to work so my sons could have a family. I endured so much abuse in the marriage that I had no other possible option but to leave.

"The holidays are coming up, and I cannot celebrate them due to all the pain and heartache of seeing my son after all these years who has grown into a bitter, angry young man who has no respect for me in any way. Sheryl, please enclose a prayer from my behalf to all the parents facing similar circumstances as myself.

"Thank you for your understanding and, most of all, for your website in helping many parents cope with their heartbreaking stories.

"God bless you and your family! I hope maybe one day soon my son will know the truth about me and have a beautiful, loyal, relationship like you and your wonderful son. I pray one day soon my son will see the light and understand my side of the story.

"I pray for all parents going through similar circumstances, especially with the holidays approaching.  Sincerely, Vicki"

Dear Vicki and all hurting parents, may God bless you and strengthen you and surround you with ministering angels in the coming days and new year, too. You are not alone in your pain, though I know that doesn't ease your hurt. In His time, God can and will turn your heartache into something good. Please try to find something to smile about every day, if even for a few moments. You are special. You are loved. You are meant for good and wonderful works in this life. Keep walking in Him, dear friend and friends. 

With love and many prayers in this Christmas season of hope, sheryl