"Hey, son, welcome to Heaven. I promised St. Peter I'd help him build the new barbecue. Here's Bob. He just died. You two talk."
I wish he'd admit he doesn't like me. Then we could move on.
I'm afraid my dad doesn't like me. I'm afraid he keeps himself busy when I'm not around. I think he creates busy work for himself to avoid confronting his discomfort of being around me, and to avoid admitting and accepting that he doesn't enjoy my company. I don't think he's willing or able to handle social situations with me that he can't control, which limits our interaction to him driving me around in his car, or having dinner in a restaurant.
I feel the same way about my uncle. I'd like to stop resenting both of them for not being able or willing to have the relationship with me that I want. I want to let them be who they are. I want to give my time and emotions to people who are comfortable around me. I hope that if I stop resenting people for who they are and accept them as they are, I'll be more comfortable to be around.
Maybe if I protect my personal boundaries and accept people without judgment outside of my personal boundaries, I'll be easier to be around and stop asking people for relationships they don't want or can't give. Maybe defining my boundaries and giving everything else away for free will help me and other people know who I am. Maybe defining and acting on my boundaries will focus my attention on my boundaries and how to act on them, and give me insight on who I am. Defining and acting on my emotional boundaries has given me better insight on myself than anything else I can recall.
More dirty jokes later, folks. I promise.
