My dad walked out on our family. My mom got jobs during hours my sister and I were at school and made sure to always be there for us, whatever the cost. She raised us alone on six dollars an hour, and didn’t miss one recital, one bedtime, one dinner at home. So, as a typical young idiot woman, I ignored all her wonderful qualities and focused solely on my absent father. I spent the better part of my twenties trying to break men’s hearts so I could walk away with an upper hand for a change. This left me feeling lonely, sad, and unloveable. Then I found you. I spent a month rolling my eyes at everything you said, being completely offended by your opinions, yet I kept coming back. And then something incredible happened. I realized my life was my own fault. I was hateful and had no reason to be.
I called my mother and thanked her for her endless sacrifices and begged forgiveness. I apologized to others in my life. I listened to your show religiously and read everything of yours I could get my hands on. Then I found a handsome bearded man I couldn’t resist. He championed stay-at-home moms, and seemed way out of my league. I treated him like gold, and in the years I’ve known him, I worked at making his life worth living. I have never felt so secure, cherished and content in my life, and when people ask our secret, I tell them it’s all thanks to you, and “choosing wisely and treating kindly.” You saved my life and helped me make it a work of art.
Emily
I Realized I Was to Blame for My Unhappy Life