Steph - you really got me thinking with the word "minimize." I can feel thoughts coming faster than I can process them. Stop the planet - I want to get off!
Seriously, though, that is such an interesting word - it never occured to me that I was minimizing my own past. I, too, get a real sense of hurt and anger as I read these posts, yet I have never outwardly displayed those emotions for my own issues. I don't know whether that is denial or not. We weren't even allowed to show emotions when I was a kid. I know that I turned everything inwards and did my fair share of harming myself with drugs and alcohol on and off for many years, and went looking for love in all the wrong places with the wrong people. There but for the grace of God...
If it's true that I really am minimizing, then I'm awfully far down the ol 'River Denial and I must be paddling with the current. Thing is, though, I don't feel like I am. What happened to me, happened. I think I have made peace with the past. I have no anger towards my parents - I feel sorrow and a great deal of love for them. I don't want to get angry with them, either, and I think I fear going and poking around in all that stuff might bring that upon me. I do understand that this isn't about blame. I do know it's about finding out why we are the way we are and changing the behaviours that we don't like in ourselves so that we can look after ourselves better.
Live's post was a real kicker too. Now that I think about it, what kid has power? I think that word is a misnomer. Perhaps the word "choice" or "voice" makes more sense to me, because I know for sure that I didn't have either of those.
((((((Group))))))