Written for: Poetic Bloomings2 – July 7th – “Take a Mulligan”
“At one time or another we think about how we would have done things a bit different than we did. A do-over! A replay. Taking a mulligan! Do something all over again with the results you had expected.”
Mom’s retirement party meant more
to her than I thought. Beautifully
dressed, smiling, she was surrounded
by coworkers, friends, and family
who loved her and wished her well–
all were present except her older daughter.
I was uptown from Mom’s party dealing
with a needy friend. How I wish
I could have that night back. Mom
was hurt and sad. I no longer have
contact with that friend because
I came to realize that I was
a sounding board to bounce her
numerous neurotic episodes off of.
In telephone conversations, she
never asked about me. In the end
I saw clearly that she was toxic, selfish.
We make wrong choices in life, but that’s how we grow and learn.
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True, but it still haunts me.
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Oh ouch. Being played by someone you thought was a friend is horrible enough, but realizing there was collateral damage from their drama is pretty rotten. Thank goodness that one is out of your life.
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Yes, I am happy about that.
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