Dear Annie:
I thought of my own daughter, Jane, when I read a letter from a “shepherd with lost sheep” who felt that his adult daughter was not making the right decisions in life. Jane graduated from university with honors, but like the “shepherd's” daughter, she never had a job in the educational field and only held fairly menial jobs. Additionally, she has been divorced twice and had several questionable cohabiting relationships.
What I didn't know for many years, and what the “shepherds” may not have realized about their daughter, is that Jane suffered from mental illness. Although she was barely able to function in her daily life, she was unable to make the best decisions in her life.
She took the initiative to meet with many mental health counselors and study extensively on her own, but it wasn't until she graduated from college that her mental illness finally reached a crisis point and she was able to get the help she needed. It has been 25 years since. I recommend that “Shepherd” contact his local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, which offers special programs for loved ones of people with mental illness.
NAMI and my counselor taught me how to understand and cope with Jane's illness, and how to properly support her to ensure she received the help she needed. I now accept that Jane is doing what is best for her and we maintain a great relationship. I wish the same for “Shepherd”. –Peace, Dad.
Dear Dad, Peacefully:
Thank you for your letter. I hope that you can maintain a wonderful relationship with her daughter in the future. Building good relationships with others starts with understanding where they are coming from and what they are going through. I think your letter will help many readers.
“How can I forgive my cheating partner?'' has appeared! Annie Lane's second anthology features popular columns on marriage, infidelity, communication, and reconciliation, and is available as paperback and e-book.visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com For more information. Questions for Annie Lane should be directed to: [email protected].
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