There are going to be times in your child’s life where both you and your ex run into each other. This isn’t a big deal if you and your ex still get along, but if you don’t it can cause a fair amount of tension. While this doesn’t happen all the time, the anticipation leading up to the event can be rather stressful. My son is young enough that we haven’t had any issues with it yet, but I have seen firsthand what my mother has gone through and continues to go through as she is placed in this situation with each of her children. As they have gotten older it seems these events have become more frequent.
Last August my little sister got married. She hadn’t seen her father in years, but decided to be the bigger person and invite him and his family to the wedding anyway. My mother encouraged this, but needless to say she was a little nervous about the encounter. These people had treated her and her children very poorly over the years, yet she tried to set those feelings aside so her daughter could enjoy her special day.
Over the next few months there will be several more occasions where she is placed in this situation yet again. Her youngest son is graduating today, his father will be there. He will be opening a mission call in a few weeks as he prepares to serve an LDS mission, his father will be present during this as well. As they celebrate his farewell and other such things, both sides of the family will be there yet again. I’ve watched the turmoil as she is anticipating each event and how to host them with all of these people there who have continued to cause grief in her life, yet somehow she will manage as she always does, to be the bigger person and smile her way through it, even if she is torn on the inside.