I earned my AA degree, which I attained with honor and recommendation; all while working full-time in fast food and retail to pay bills, etc.
zero acknowledgment from anyone in the family, didn't even go to graduation. what was the point? whatever it wasn't for them anyways. but the worst part was when my mother told me that I didn't know what hard work was right after this achievement. thanks mom, I'm proud too.
so I took some time off from school to collect myself before pursuing my BA, where I was then badgered for wasting my life and doing nothing productive. nvm that I was still working my ass off to make ends meet.
a couple years later, I applied to an international university where I've been accepted with full tuition covered. when I told my family about it, their reaction was "do you think you'll able to handle that much work?"
fu, seriously? I put myself through college after transferring high school 8 times and being forced to drop out to get a job at 16 but not a single person in my family has acknowledged my efforts or success. smh, the pain still burns.
to add to the fire, my sister, who is revered as full blooded pride and joy, who still lives with mom and dad at 21, who has been in rehab several times, who has acquired quite the record of felonies and misdemeanors, who had mom and dad pay for her cosmetology certificate is "on the right track in life" and "knows how things are in the real world"
fu again, I was walking the streets to make $5 an hour making food for total assholes, please tell me more about how I have no idea what the real world is like. at least I didn't turn into a crack head, robbing houses for drug money.
I am so sorry this turned out to be so long, it's a very overwhelming part of my life. my family isn't outright evil, and I try to stay on terms with them because who else do I have? but wtf? say goodbye to your grandchildren. because you're not getting any, or if I change my mind, you're not visiting them without my direct presence.
rant finished. thank you for the vent. I forget how built up my anger is until it's rushing out of me like a fireball. so sorry, returning to zen.