During my therapy sessions the last few weeks, I feel as if I have made some tremendous strides in healing the wounds from my parents. That understanding has included being able to realize where my parents were coming from and the baggage, both known and unknown to me, which they carried into parenthood. I’ve learned to forgive my parents a long time ago for the things that they did, again, both knowingly and unknowingly. This has also help me learn to forgive myself for the issues that I bring forth to my own children. As a parent, we can escape causing some issues and misunderstandings among ourselves and our children. I only hope that my sons can see that I’m willing to make amends and help repair any damage that I may have caused them.
One of the most exciting things I’ve learned about myself is that I was pretty normal growing up. I always thought of myself as the odd one, the black sheep, and the one who just didn’t fit in. Yet, regardless of my circumstances, I was a very typical young man, who also had some very atypical issues. Nonetheless, this is not unusual for any person at all. In fact, I’ve learned and will continue to learn how to resolve those issues as just part of who I am and who God has made me to be. I shouldn’t look at these personality traits as something I need to get rid of. All of this to say, I’m learning to accept myself in a much healthier way, changing the aspects about me organically as the needs arise.
It’s my sincerest hope that other survivors will join me in this journey, too. I’d love to hear how you have grown to accept and love yourselves and how you have changed to adapt better to your lives now. Please, send me an email so that I can learn more about your journey, too!
Harry L. Estes 