My Frustrated Dad

I really can't remember when my Dad wasn't frustrated with any of us in our family. He never seemed to take time to relax, and that is probably why he is still like this today. Dad worked for the railroad, with very long hours. I think that he feels that if he can keep on keeping busy, that he will avoid the inevitable...death.


When we were growing up, it seemed that if we did something one way...he would tell us that we were doing it wrong. Learned behaviors are a bad thing, that is why God instructs us to:


Proverbs 22:6King James Version (KJV)
⁶ Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.


Since my Dad was not a man of God, even though he was a Catholic, he did not show the love of Jesus when instructing us in life. He is still that way, and I pray that he will come to love Jesus like I do.


I left my parents' home when I was 18, and moved into my own apartment. At 23, I married my first husband, and had 2 children with him. During that time, I spoke to my children like my Dad did with me.


In 1995, I divorced, and then remarried in 1997. At that time, I turned my life over to Jesus. Jesus must mold us into the person He wants us to be. It has been almost 20 years, and He is still molding me. Sometimes he allows me to break, so that I will look to Him for His guidance.


My Dad still believes that the man is the head of the house, and that the wife is the one to do all of the housework, cooking & laundry. My Mom is currently 87, has neuropathy in her feet and hands, and is getting feeble. She is constantly on the go, doing whatever my Dad wants...and at that very second. He thinks that she should NEVER be tired. My poor Mom. She deserves a break in life. I sometimes feel that she will sit down to rest one day, and pass away in her chair from exhaustion. :(


My Mom has dementia, and my Dad doesn't understand that there are limits to how much she is able to do. He also corrects her for EVERYTHING. He yells at her, and then she ends up yelling at him. A few weeks ago, she hit my Dad. My Dad then told me that he wanted to slap her in the face. I then asked if I should call the police on the both of them.....this is so difficult for me to deal with from afar.


I wish I could be there to help them, but they live in New Jersey; while I live in Missouri. All I can do is be there for them, by phone, to encourage them to love each other, and to not treat each other like they do.


My husband Joe, and I cherish each day that we have together. We work together, we play together, and we ARE each other's best friend.