Written with permission by Granparents Raising Granchildren Trust
Many times I have approached this bridge, many times I have taken steps on to it, sometimes I have reached half way and turned back, but there comes a time when one actually crosses the ‘bridge of enough’. What makes us take this final journey perhaps one of the hardest journeys of our lives? What is this bridge? Why do we sometimes need to be brave enough to cross it?
Now 2 generations have pushed me to this bridge, the drama’s the heart ache never seemed to stop, history was repeating itself all over again in the second generation. Both nurture and nature for these two
generations and there I was, always there to pick up the pieces, to try
and heal and clean up the mess.
I began to look at the wider damage which was affecting other members of the family and other grandchildren who did not live with us. I had read an article a while ago in this newsletter about enabling and it dawned on me that by me always being there to pick up the pieces these family members would never know the consequences nor attempt to make change. Yes I know the young grandchildren need us and this is why we
do this. But we need to be careful not to over compensate. Being older I also took into consideration the affect this constant stress was having on me, my health and indeed my mental health. I was not a happy camper and the stress was out of control!
The ‘mother’ was now 48 and for years (she was 12 when she came to live with us) and years of hell she had descended upon us, now it was the turn of her daughter (22 going on 14) the child we raised from 3, we avoided
Crossing The Bridge Of Enough