My friend called me a couple of days ago a bit frustrated.
Her little sister (not too little, early thirties) had put her relationship “on hold” because of her boyfriend’s drinking problem and cheating (when drunk). They have been together for only two years and this is her first longer relationship. My friend offered her little sister a place to stay for a week (and company) so that she could think things through and eventually be ready to leave the terrible relationship.
Why was my friend pissed off then?
There is a lot of bad things happening around her now. The situation with our daughter, her husband’s sisters company burned down and won’t be completely covered by the insurance company, she is sick herself and so on. But her little sister is dwelling on (in my friends words) what went wrong and how things are not so simple. She is hysterical, taking sleeping pills, laying on a sofa all day long not able to help my friend with any tasks in the house (she has a couple kids + taking care of a cousin’s children).
My friend on the other hand thinks that it is just that simple: You got cheated, your boyfriend has a problem that he doesn’t see or admit, he is treating you badly, you have no future together, you have no children and you are already in your thirties. Don’t waste your life any longer, pack your stuff and move on.
But the thing is, in my friends little sisters life this is the biggest misfortune so far. She doesn’t know any worse. Of course for example compared to our situation it feels like a ridiculous thing to be worried about. No one is very ill or dying, she is financially stable, no kids to be worried about. Or can you even compare which is worse? Everything is relative and what upsets one might be insignificant to another but, are people becoming too soft?
Hugs, Momone
