Family drama shows up in everyone’s life at one time or another. Who doesn’t have at least one relative that drives them slap crazy? I know I sure do! In fact, there was a time when there were more family members who agitated me, than those who didn’t! Going to family gatherings was like trying to take a nap in a brier patch! I invariably walked away battered and bruised and completely exhausted. I felt depleted for days after and churned inside like the hand cranked ice cream maker we pulled out to try to smooth things over.
In all honesty, I walked away from these family jousting fests hating myself more than I did anyone else. I’d argue with myself about all of the issues, who was doing what and why; what was driving them, what I could have said or done differently for a different outcome. If I just said the right thing in the right way they’d understand, or they’d see my perspective. Then I’d get mad at myself for getting so worked up over it all! Why did my mind have to sort and chew, sort and chew, for hours or days after? Let it go, I’d remind myself. But, I didn’t listen so round and around my mind would go like a Merry-Go-Round gone rogue.
Do you know what I’m talking about? Of course you do, because there’s not a soul alive who hasn’t found themselves mired in family drama at one time or another and ruminating about it afterward. It’s human nature. At last, I have figured out why we do that, and why the drama happens in the first place.
Family drama is designed to create chaos in our lives in order to inspire us to change and grow. It’s a wake up call, a prod to get us moving in the right direction. It’s a law of the universe and a part of the very reason we are alive on this planet. There’s no getting away from it no matter who we are or how far we run. If we do run, it will follow us … if not in the precise embodiment of family, then in our mates and co-workers and bosses.
[tweetthis]”In the process of letting go you will lose many things from the past, but you will find yourself.” — Deepak Chopra[/tweetthis]
Family drama exists to push us to listen to ourselves … to our intuition, our heart, our soul, and to bear witness to our values and beliefs. The universe offers us this gift so that we might grow into our very best selves. Contrary to the way we’d like it to be, we can only do this by wrestling with our demons.
Only, we don’t. We don’t listen. We don’t engage. We don’t take hold of the challenge we are being offered. We don’t tune in to rumbling and urging inside of us that is pointing us in the right direction. We shove the noise aside and pretend to be someone we’re not. As a result, chaos ensues, and the chaos is all inside of us. It’s not reality.
WHAT FAMILY DRAMA IS REALLY ALL ABOUT
I will give you one small example. In anticipation of my son’s upcoming wedding, where of course family members will assemble en mass, I had an imaginary conversation with a particularly irksome relative who will remain nameless (not out of respect, but I value my life. :)) In my mind’s eye, I stood there, my feet planted solid as a rock on the ground, my hands on my hips, my body squared … (I’d like to note that I absolutely never take this stance), and I looked the person straight in the eyes and said, “what is it about me that you hate so much?” Of course, even in my imagination the individual didn’t answer. I’ve been asking myself and the imaginary replica this question for decades without a satisfactory answer.
[tweetthis] Dysfunctional families have trouble knowing where they stop and others begin. — David W. Earle[/tweetthis]
The silence I encountered, where the answer was supposed to be, caught my attention. It pushed me a step further. I realized I was asking the wrong question. So I tried again. “What is it about me that reminds you of something about you, that you don’t like?” This time I got a few glimpses of possibilities, but I’d done this before as well, and it wasn’t helpful. What I think I know about them is only a guess and, after all, I can’t change them.
Later, while washing the dishes it hit me. I was not only asking the wrong question, I was asking the wrong person! I needed to be asking myself the questions: “What is it about them that reveals something in me that I don’t like or can’t accept?” Bingo! It was like opening a floodgate. Each time I dared to look a little closer, I saw something new. The more I pushed myself to look and examine myself the more I began to see the two of us were really kindred spirits! We should be best friends!
This shift in perspective was eye-opening. I could see the gift the situation was offering me. I was able to disengage from the mind games I was playing and take a hard look at myself. The individuals issue with me is still a mystery, but I am much clearer on my issue with myself. Will the individual push my button again? Probably. I believe, however, that I will respond differently; from a place a little bit deeper inside of me that will reflect back a clearer picture of who I really am. His crazy will be his and mine will be absolutely my own. No co-mingling of crazy.
Everyone who comes into our lives can teach us something about our self-esteem or lack thereof, our self-acceptance or lack thereof, our gifts and strengths, and our shortcomings and shadows. What we see in them is a reflection of what is inside of us.
Family gatherings stir us up because we have so much unfinished business from our childhood. We like to think it’s over. It’s not. Not by a long shot. As we get clearer on who we are, and grow in acceptance and love of ourselves, the family drama slips away. It’s not that everyone else changes, although they might, it’s that our reactivity to them diminishes. Our energy stays inside of ourselves.
Reflection Questions:
Who is your most challenging family member?
What do they reflect back to you about yourself?
When you examine the reflection can you get beneath the surface?
Is there a hurt or scar buried there?
Can you bring this wound to the surface and look a little closer?
Can you grieve the hurt?
Can you love that little child who was doing the very best she could?
If you need support in dealing with your family drama, reach out to me.
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Ours was a “small” family – just my immediate family and the family of my father’s brother, at least that is the extended family I grew up with. There were many more relatives, but they were all elsewhere, far away, in other countries. My father and uncle were very close – us cousins? Not so much. Family gatherings were predictable, all good, fab food and even good conversation, but as the evening wore on the inevitable would happen … a quarrel between my grandfather and my aunt’s mother (uncle’s mother in law). They disliked each other immensely and while they managed a level of civility during most of the evening, at the end, the strain of being on ones best behaviour finally broke. They have long since gone to another family gathering … I wonder, do they fight in heaven?
PS… on the other hand my cousins and I have grown much closer … we aren’t best friends or anything like that, but I think we have grown to love and respect that we are “family” and support each other in difficult times, and cheer each other and our children when there is something to celebrate.
I’m so glad you stopped by and took the time to leave a comment. So many family squabbles are never resolved. It’s difficult to hear one another when we’re locked in our own anger and hurt. Time does have a way of improving relationships. As we get older, we begin to appreciate the little things. Thanks for sharing a bit of your story. Family, whether the one we are born in to, or the one we create is an invaluable source of support in a life that is seldom easy.
My aging parents create the biggest challenge in my family dynamic- my sister’s have to speak for me and protect me, to name one thing. I face two challenge: try my best not to engage, my sisters’ protection gives me an advantage here. Most important, in addition to forgiving the past I have to also forgive how they are in the present.
Managing aging parents is a challenge. Been there and totally understand. If you’re interested in joining the Aging Abundantly Caregiver’s group on FB it provides lots of support and an opportunity to vent. https://www.facebook.com/groups/138881352863397/