I’m sure some of you will know that I don’t have the best relationship with my mother. This is never alluded to. We are surface perfect. It is never voiced from anybody and always holds invisible weight. It was my 40th birthday when I again jumped through hoops to keep her happiness level, and I became aware that a little sign had flipped up for me - ‘FULL’. I began to withdraw my responsibility for her happiness while maintaining duty and politeness.  

Recently, and on Father’s Day, she threw some toys out of the pram at us when my big brother and I were visiting my dad. My brother and dad carried on talking (totally acceptable) as if it hadn’t happened. Later, I began to doubt my ears and it lingered heavily with me. I could feel its weight and wanted to shed it.  

Later that evening I wrote down on paper what I wished I could have said earlier in the day, read it through a few times to be sure I’d said everything I needed to, then took it outside and burned it on the back path. Job done. Released. (This is safe for me to do since I live in Scotland where summer is often the last Thursday of May. Shredding is a safe alternative.)

If it doesn’t sound completely bonkers to you then I highly recommend this method if you too are gagged with verbal impotency. It lets you move forward.

Hope you have a peaceful Saturday,

Love from 

The room above the garage

A Moodscope member