The last few days we reconciled with our son over the Iraq War, over the fact that we left our church because they supported that war, and over our anger toward Bush. We did not have to say a lot of words, it was a feeling that we could again communicate.
It was a comfortable feeling that we used to have. He has seen the extreme nature of this administration, and that has caused the mending. We did not talk a lot about any of the issues, but there was a new understanding.
We knew we were vindicated in his eyes, and in the eyes of other family members from whom we were divided.
The restoring of our family unity has been happening gradually. I posted a diary at BooTrib about the beginning of it. I got an email from a family member offering to eat crow if necessary. We are not yet where we were back in the days before Bush, but it is coming slowly.
Then another member asked if they could stop by while they were in town. Of course they could. It was nice, painful, a few tears, but over-all comforting in nature.
Then the son we had been divided from was here for several days. When he called to say he was back at his home, he said "Mom, I love you guys, and it was a such nice visit." That's a lot for our guy who does not share emotions easily. He had been hurting, too.
They are all still Republicans, we are still Democrats. But the divide is not as wide as it was. I cried a lot one day, couldn't figure out why. Then I realized it was all getting back to where it should be in a family. It hit me how very painful it had been, and that I had been in denial over the pain in a lot of ways. It was like the sun was shining in a new and different way, like there was not as much pressing down on my shoulders.
Only George Bush could have divided our family like that. They trusted him, and he was able to get them to think of us as "liberals." None of it made sense, it was not who they were at all...good people, kind people. None of it fit who any of us were.
It is getting better now, and I think I will take comfort in how it is coming together again.