A True Story
Me: “That’s abuse!”
Them: Chorus of Excuses
Denial— “Things were different back then.”
Gaslighting— “Everyone else in the family remembers it differently, did you ever consider you might be wrong?”
Redirection— “Uncle X had it much worse.”
Minimizing— “That’s really not a big deal. I know kids who are beaten daily by their drunken parents.”
Spiritual Bypassing— “He had a hard time showing his affection. He had a quirky personality, but he loved you.”
General Tone & Theme: Just move on. It’s narcissistic to dwell in the past when no one else wants to. You’re making the family uncomfortable.
Me: “The erasure of the abuse is worse than the abuse.”
Kensho Homestead 