I still didn't know what the future held. I didn't have a map or even a plan. But I had learned that's what life was - risky, messy, no way to tie it up in neat little packages despite my desire for it to be otherwise.
Mothers are strong enough to let their daughters find out who they really are, and daughters are stong enough to realize that mistakes or no, every mother has done the best she can ... and if she's lucky, her own daughter will one day give her the same gift of understanding.
Two people have to love and respect each other to make a good team, at least in marriage. They have to be committed down to their cores in order to survive the ups and downs of life.
I couldn't deal with the kind of need for a man that had ruled my mother's life - the kind of need that made it impossible to breath when self-worth was wrapped up in "I love yous.
