I remembered years ago when I was in highschool, I lived away from my family in another town. My parents moved away and I wanted to stay back to finish the year at my school. With the help of the pastor, I was placed with a family for a few months. While they were very gracious in having me, my stay with the family resurfaced their unresolved issues. Along the way, I was hurt and so were they. My mother concluded the conflict as jealousy. She felt that I, her daughter was "better" and hence, their daughter was jealous and made my life a living hell. Their daughter did make my life with them rather challenging but looking back, she had her reason to feel how she felt.

I remembered my mother basking on this incident and told just about everyone her version. Putting me on the pedestal and undermining what they did for me. Calling them "crazy" and disregarding their hospitality. While she took my side, it didn't soothe my soul. My mother knew the content of their pain but had no compassion whatsoever for this family. I was confused and unsettled. I was very hurt to say the least. I was just a girl caught in between. I had to keep my mouth shut and played along. When the day came for them to ask me to leave, it was painful. I accepted it and I left having to heal my own wound. After I left, I  kept my distance with the family. The only way I knew how. That was the only way they knew too. I did run into the mother years later at another church. We did not greet each other. That was the last time I saw any one of them in person.

I do think about them once in awhile. The family did impact my life for the good and the bad. The mother once said something that took me years to finally realized what she meant. The father was a gentle soul who loved me. The brother knew where the turmoil was. He never took side and he always had this quiet wisdom about him. The daughter was hurt and I reminded her of the source of pain. She was a girl too at the time and taking it out on me was the only she knew how. Getting rid of me was the easiest way out for them. It helped to eliminate the "reminder" but I don't think it helped them face the true problem. I see things quite differently now. I don't fault them for hurting me. As much as I wish that they will find their peace, I don't think they ever did take the time to heal their pain. I hope I am wrong.