bleckblog: musings of a community college english teacher

I wrote hardly anything yesterday, so I'm already behind on my word count, but here it is:

The same is true when it comes to Roddy. Because we grew up spending so little time together, and because of the differences in our ages, I have never felt that I knew him, or know him now. As you indicated, when I was visiting in the summers, he was off at a camp somewhere. But I don’t think that matters as much as you think. More important, at least as important, is the difference in our ages. A dozen years is quite a gap and I don’t know that we would have been close were we to spend each day of my summer visits together. What interests him is not of much interest to me, and I suspect that what interests me is also of little interest to him.

You also seem to be either unaware of or forgetting what I have done to foster a relationship. I have sent gifts on his birthday and over the holidays, and not once have I received the consideration of a thank you. Not once. I don’t know that I can see this as the response of a considerate and compassionate person because no consideration or compassion has been directed my way. Despite the lack of a response, I continued to send gifts, to be courteous and considerate when we met and talked, and even invited him into our home when he was travelling through the area with his girlfriend. We drove them around town, fed them, provided them a bed and were otherwise as hospitable as we could be, but never did we hear a word of gratitude, so please don’t look at me as if I’ve done nothing to build a relationship.

As always, I have no desire to compel anyone to change in anyway. Change works best, is best, when it comes voluntarily, from the heart. Additionally, it’s an often long and slow process. Once again, I ask only that you respect me and not work to force change upon me, because the only thing that I can be sure of is that I will resist such force.

Yours,

B-----