Control is an Illusion
In Rootbound: A Mother’s Journey, A Daughter’s Pain., you share some of the most challenging aspects of your mother-daughter relationship and the fears and traumas that preceded your amazing healing journey. What inspired you to share your story with readers?
Melanie- I wanted to help other moms avoid the mistakes I made because of fear. I also wanted to help the moms who already made those mistakes make efforts toward repairing the damage. I knew that if I shared my experience, it would only be half of the story. That’s when I asked Amanda to write the book with me. She of course said yes.
Amanda- My mom approached me with the idea and felt like the work we had done to heal ourselves and our relationship could be beneficial for others to find freedom in their own stories. We had multiple people make comments on our relationship and how they wished they had the type of connection with their mom or daughter as we did. I have always wanted to write a book and loved the idea and said yes without hesitation.
I appreciated the candid nature with which you both told your story. What was the hardest thing for you to write about?
Melanie- Chapter 6 titled Rootbound was the hardest for me. I share some heart-wrenching awakenings and losses in that chapter.
Amanda- I think the depth of vulnerability we get into throughout the book felt very scary to share with the world. You can’t take those things back once it’s out there. I was very aware of the potential backlash that may come with sharing various traumatic life experiences in such a candid way.
What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you were younger?
Melanie- I wish someone would have told me about control being an illusion and taught me how to have boundaries instead.
Amanda- I wish someone had told me to take the pressure off myself and helped me understand how to do that.
What is one thing you hope readers are able to take away from your experience?
Melanie- I want the reader to know they are not alone. I hope they can take away a little bit of bravery to face the unaddressed parts of their story.
Amanda- I hope they can connect to it and find themselves in our story. And for those that do connect to it, I hope that it brings a sense of feeling seen and that they are not alone in this journey, and that restoration in parent/child relationships is possible.
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Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2024/07/22/control-is-an-illusion/
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