Breaking Mommy Dearest - Afterthoughts

In summary -

• My mother truly is an amazing woman.  She is strong, both physically and mentally, sometimes painstakingly so.  She's smart, beautiful, and has proved time and time again that she would do anything for her children.
• She only wishes the best for my brother and I and to see us succeed in life, love and the pursuit of happiness.
• But I've come to realize that our versions of life, love and the pursuit of happiness are going to be radically different and that is okay.
• I'm learning to apply the advice that my brother gives me on an at least weekly basis - Don't let it get to you.  Whenever she starts in on you, just let it roll off of your shoulders.  (Hence why he has managed to not lose his mind or his temper during the times she's being insufferable.)
• I can't change her, I can only adapt my attitude in order to make my own life a little less guilt-ridden or aggravating.

So there we have it.  It's going to be a long, tough road but it's one I'm willing to take because I never want to reach the point where I end up resenting my own mother.  I never want to move far away just to get away from family.  I never want to purposely ignore her phone calls or be one of those people that only speaks to their mother very seldom.  She is my best friend and I don't want that to change, so I have to let her be her E-Bomb self while I remain my own self.

Maybe things will change if I get married one day.  Maybe things will change if I have my own children one day.  But until then, I'm going to fight back and defend myself when the situation calls for it.  (Ironically this is probably the "secret" part of E-Bomb's relationship with her own mother that she has kept from me, for reasons wholly unknown, but it makes sense.)  Maybe it will affect other areas of my life in a positive way, maybe it won't.  Only time will tell.