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Am i actually being a bit mad?

9 replies

MrsMooky · 29/03/2011 09:01

Okay, a bit of background. My beloved dad die very suddenly in November - he was actually my stepfather but he has brought me up from the age of five, so as far as he and I were concerned, he was my father. He ferried me to riding lessons, taught me how to make a perfect g&t, made the speech at my wedding.. all the important stuff. A week after he dies I found out I was pregnant. At first I didn't want the baby, I wanted to get out with mourning someone incredibly precious to me. It was also very tough because this is my first and I wanted my mum's support, but we couldn't support each other at all; grief made us all a bit broken and we had to look after ourselves rather than anyone else. But, after a week or so I realised how totally thrilled he would have and the timing was actually not a bad thing - it made me deal with my grief clear eyed and head on rather than drowning it in alcohol and I feel like I am much more 'at peace' with the situation than a lot of my family, despite the fact that I was closer to him than a lot of them as well.

My stepfather had four children before his marriage to my mum and we all get on very well - we're all at family gatherings together, we supported each other after his death - no problems at all. And we're muddling through. My mum is seeming in a much better place. Its all still absolutely shit and I miss him dreadfully, but I no longer feel completely lost.

But, last night my mum called and casually mentioned that she's giving my dad's ashes to my stepsister to scatter in her garden so 'he can be close to his grandchildren'. This has totally blindsided me - we were all supposed to be meeting up and scattering them over the cricket ground he used to play in. I just feel really hurt and really shocked. This wasn't the plan at all and I saw this as the last thing we would all do together, if you know what I mean. And doing it in someone;s garden feels so wrong, and she's so far away and I hate the idea of her house getting sold (a very real possibility) and him being left there on his own . And the comment about being close to his grandchildren stings. She knows how upset i am about the fact that he will never get to meet this one, I even considered ending the pregnancy at first because I couldn't; bear the thought of it. I don't know.. am I being unreasonable? I put the phone down on her last night, I was too upset to carry on talking, but I'm going to need to call her at some point today. I don't even know how to verbalise why I'm upset. Or if its justified

OP posts:
Bewunce · 29/03/2011 09:07

So sorry for your loss.

I think you have every reason to be upset, and for all the reasons you state in your OP.

Can you think of a way of letting her know without either of you getting too heated or upset?

You need to ask her what happened to the cricket ground idea.

stripeywoollenhat · 29/03/2011 09:11

i'm sorry to hear of the loss of your father. i can see why you are upset, but i also think it's your mum's decision, what's to be done with her partner's ashes. however, you should talk to her about how you feel about it, it may not have occurred to her.

when my aunt died, her ashes were split - one part were scattered at a baseball field in the US where she lived for most of her life, the other part her daughter brought home to ireland, to the farm she grew up on and we scattered them there. these were my aunt's wishes, and you might feel strange about splitting the ashes but it is an option, if your family want to let your father go in different places.

again, i'm sorry to hear of your loss

PortBlackSandwitch · 29/03/2011 09:12

Sorry for your loss - everything you feel is understandable.

What do his other three children think of this idea?

Is there another way you can feel close to him - in the name of your child for example.

womma · 29/03/2011 09:17

Of course your upset is justified, you're grieving and this is a very emotional thing to deal with.
Try to be calm with your mum though, and perhaps you could suggest that if the cricket ground idea has been decided against, instead of one of the children getting his ashes, you could share them amongst you all? The reasons in your post are totally valid, and if you express these to your mum and other family members they're bound to understand.
Hope you get a positive resolution from this.
Congratulations on your pregnancy!

PortBlackSandwitch · 30/03/2011 08:03

Have you spoken to your mum? Smile

MrsMooky · 30/03/2011 12:29

Yeah, we both got really upset, unsurprisingly. She understands how I feel and why I feel that way, and she said she's really really sorry... but she can't take it back now. Which is okay. I never expected her to. I hate the thought of it, but its not him... he's with all of us all the time, he's not a pile of ashes. I just wanted her to acknowledge that she did something hurtful things in an unthinking way, and she does and is genuinely sad that she's upset me. I feel a bit bruised, but it will be okay.

Oh, and in response to remebering him in another way - my daughter is having his surname as her middle name - luckily its one that works very well!

Thank you all for your advice

OP posts:
womma · 30/03/2011 12:34

So you weren't mad were you? Smile

MrsMooky · 30/03/2011 12:38

Not on this specific occasion!

OP posts:
PortBlackSandwitch · 30/03/2011 14:20

Smile I'm glad you are getting there MrsM. Good Luck with your pregnancy.

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