Neighbors Posted by Pauline on May 19, 1999 at 15:08:34:
In Reply to: Re: Lady (former Mistress) of the Manor posted by Hi Pauline! on May 17, 1999 at 09:26:15:
Hi Suz,
I had a mirgraine headache yesterday, a day in bed, vomiting, darkened
room etc.
Today I feel much better still a bit fragile, but so glad the pain has
gone.
Neighbors can certainly cause a different kind of pain. I have lived
here for 16 yrs. and until recently never had any problems. Although I
was never really friendly with any particular neighbors, we were always
polite and certainly I have been invited over for Christmas drinks etc.
a cup of coffee here and there. I moved into an older resident street,
which is changing now, I think I might have scared them half to death
with my five young ones in tow.
Your neighbours sound very extreme.....like the type I would see on a
talk show...not that I watch them!! Your word "appauling" seems to fit
nicely. What on earth motivates anyone to take in more animals when
they can't manage the ones they have got and have a child's health to
consider. The smell would be very 'high'.
The poor little girl. It is a very frustating situation.
It sounds like a stale-mate situation now, much as mine is. We have
both poured out our anger and found it was like talking to a brick wall.
We have no control over what our neighbours do or don't do.
I have sorrow for the little girl. My 23-yr.old daughter, Alice, is a
qualified Social Worker and it was horrifying the 'cases' she has to
work on. She was in child protection. So much passing the buck goes on
and so much rests on action being taken NOW, when all that seems to be
happening at the Department level is paper shuffling. No one cares to
take responsibility, and when the crunch comes everyone is prepared to
blame everyone else.
I wonder if your neighbour really wants her daughter, maybe the fact
that she is a mother adds to her self-esteem somewhat. She probably is
so 'damaged' emotionally herself that she is indifferent to her
daughter's suffering. It is very rough on everybody. Surely some
authority or other has the power to remove the daughter from such
insanitary conditions. Has anyone contacted Child Protection.
I think your fencing of your property is a good solution and one that
may well ease your mind. Still I feel you are still in conflict over
what more you can do. I am researching ways to surrender to 'what is'
and will let you know of any that I find helpful.
There is a passage from an Alan Cohen essay,
"Blessed Be the Cage Rattlers", where he says,
"....When life twirls or destroys the foundation we have built, the
experience can be quite disorienting -- and it is supposed to be. The
purpose of change beyond our control is to shake us up so we must hasten
in a new direction."
Sometimes I feel I'd like more gentle lessons/guidance.
love
Pauline.
Archived 15 Jun 99