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Rcw's avatar

my daughter was also a water girl, and a dancer. These things channeled her energy outwards, away from the self. Now it's all locked down with no where to go but inwards, trapping the storm inside. I like her metaphor of a sailboat though, bc when I think of our kids, I always think of them as the ships in the storms, and us as their anchors

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Lisa Bellot MD's avatar

I love this. I was adrift in that same sea for a long time. Waiting for help that never came. In the absence of allies, either personal or professional, I found my connection with her was all I had to rely on. But it is a powerful connection. Eventually we found calm waters and my daughter discovered the shore. Although once broken, she has emerged on the other side more whole than she was before. Never give up hope. I wish your family peaceful waters.

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Annie's avatar

So beautiful, so sad. So many of us walk w you ❤️.

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LostMum's avatar

Our boat is gratefully no longer in the middle of a wild storm but it's now stuck out at sea, bobbing along aimlessly with no way back to shore. The skies are grey and the damaged sustained to the boat through the storm may not be repairable 😢

All I can do is dream of blue skies .... the blue skies that never seem to come ...

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CA mom's avatar

Without knowing any other information, your piece seems to have a hopeful quality about it. I hope your daughter finds her way back. ❤️

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Walk With Mom's avatar

Thank you. I am focused on my connection with her, everything I do in service of that relationship. So I have to have hope. She is a miracle who has broken my heart and mended it too.

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ccGrandpa's avatar

The short length of this essay increases its impact in a beautiful way. Thanks for showing the emotion that buffers both reality and negotiation. God bless you and your daughter, the watergirl.

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Realitycheck's avatar

She is and will always be your water girl. What a sad, poetic and beautiful post. The sail analogy is very apt. Keep the conversations going and keep the faith, Mom. I received a hug from my own confused girl today. I think she’s allowed a hug twice in the last year. Sometimes love feels like it’s not winning, But it’s all we can do. Love and truth.

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Grandma Eileen's avatar

The bond is there between you two...I hope you both have smooth sailing and very little storms in your future. Keep reminding her of who she is, not who she thinks she is now. This trans journey is difficult to maneuver. My friend is trying to steer her 19-year-old son out of rough water, but we are afraid he may drown. He has texted her about his suicidal thoughts. He is taking hormones. We found a therapist who claims to be trans "neutral" for him to talk to you. The problem is, we can't really trust this doctor or her son to even reach out to him. For now, we are treading water. We see only dark skies ahead, maybe even a hurricane. How do we even prepare? I hate this trans-cult.

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paleblue's avatar

Where is the boy's father, Eileen? Out of the picture?

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Grandma Eileen's avatar

Sadly, yes

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Lynn Meagher's avatar

You got me with this one *dabs tears from eyes*

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EyesOpen's avatar

Many of our kids have no ability to hold compassion for their parents. Some are really unkind to us, even abusive. It is nice to see one kid who still has the ability to acknowledge a bit of how a parent might feel.

And yet, I sense the girl is still waiting, perhaps demanding, to be viewed as a boy, and that is troubling to me.

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Blossom Moonbeam's avatar

Lovely conversation keep them going....

http://www.suddenlytrans.co.uk/2024/04/fly-by.html

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paleblue's avatar

Thanks for the link, I'm finding the blog to be very interesting!

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Colleen's avatar

Sometimes a few words say the many things that are wordless. Thanks for sharing this precious moment with ....I'll say it ....the water girl in your life. All PITT parents have these moments.

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Cathy Gardino's avatar

Beautiful... Acceptance... It is not your journey, but your hope that will eventually fill those sails.

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