Do you forgive your parents for childhood trauma? Why or why not?

I have spent my entire life trying to understand and process the trauma they were experiencing throughout my childhood. They raised 3 children after the death of their 5 year old son, with very little time in between children to deal with their grief. I didn't understand it as a child - why were my parents so emotional and over the top? Why did my younger brothers and I get so much attention when we were sick? Grief. Trauma. All their lives, all of ours. Now I can somewhat imagine the gravity of losing a child, and just how much it affected our parents. It's the worst thing that can happen to a person. My beautiful, loving, wonderful parents had the single worst thing happen to them.

Yes, I forgive them. I forgive them for everthing.

/r/AskWomen Thread