Prompted by Jane, in my last blog, about things sometimes appearing 'one sided' and also talk of parents recently, I thought I would share my relationship with my dad, or lack of! He is still with us, but I rarely see him.

He left us when I was a child, he fell in love with another woman, who he had been having an affair with for some time. I didn't really hold it against him, you cannot help who you fall in love with. He saw my sister and I on a regular basis when we were children and some of my best memories are with him.

When we got older, contact became less and less, like he didn't know how to relate to us anymore. He wasn't there for us anymore, refused invites, made excuses if we asked for anything and didn't bother with his grandchildren (my sister's kids).

We tried and tried in different ways but eventually it was time to give up. We were not getting anywhere and as Pennie-Lynn said in her response to my last blog, you have to accept the way things are...

His wife died of cancer some years ago now, she was only 49 (10 years younger than him) so this was a massive shock. It was quick and unpleasant and my dad turned to me, ringing me at every given opportunity. I was there for him of course, my sister however, had a completely different attitude. "He hasn't been there for us, so why should we be there for him".

When my step mum was moved to a hospice, with only days to live, I moved in with my dad to support him. I put my whole life on hold and would not leave him alone at any given time. I was there when he received the dreaded phone call, I was there to arrange the funeral, to help him with all of the paperwork, I stayed with him for a good few months. How could I leave my father to cope alone?

It wasn't an easy time, as others must have thought, "He's ok, his daughter is with him" so we had little support.

I also foolishly believed our relationship had been rekindled and that we would become close again. We had conversations we had never had before.

But my dad couldn't bear being alone, as in not in a relationship, he often told me this, I was no substitute for a partner or wife. "Better than nobody", I would reply.

He met someone else very quickly, through one of the support groups he attended.

And I was dumped! He had no interest in anything but her, to the point of obsession, which may have been his way of coping, I understand that.

But I felt used.

I didn't get my dad back.

I don't regret it, I would probably do it all over again...

Molly

A Moodscope member.