Thank you for such a beautiful, honest sharing of your life. You've made me cry, friend. I can relate to you and my own mother's story somewhat to your mom's as well... I find myself having a bit of a rough time lately managing my own self-worth..I was in a great place in that regard in my twenties and my thirties.. And fell in for some "sweet words" as you put it.. And feel like I've more than regressed... I am not sure how to get back to the positive self-regard I once felt and it doesn't exactly make for the best of choices coming from this place... So I guess I'm providing my own confirmation and keeping myself locked in a cycle... But the logic of it all can't seem to penetrate my poor little amygdalae and so I've got to come up with some strategies to heal those guys up, I think. Bueno. Bright blessings to you too. Thank you for writing