This weekend was pretty good, but it turned ugly in the last 24 hours or so.
I hadn't seen my problem person in the flesh since April 18, 2021 and hadn't said a word in person to them since March 6, 2021.
Well, the latter streak still lives on.
They were in the aid station that I worked Saturday during Ironman Texas for about three to four hours and didn't engage at all.
When I last broached the subject, they said that there was nothing to repair. I, obviously, disagreed, but I wasn't going to get anywhere pushing it.
They asked for a picture in mid-April to use on a run club IG account, but I rebuffed that, and when I offered use of pictures after I thought they might have liked some them on the same run club FB page they strongly put up a rebuttal to which I said, "I offered. Thanks."
So I've been maintaining a "no contact" position, but I only bent it to congratulate their youngest daughter after being able to finish line call her first cross country race finish around the end of August.
It was short. A couple of sentences. And the response was even shorter, "I will. Thanks Jon."
Both of her daughters were there. The oldest one came with a friend to start working and before the Mom got there, I had gone to pick up a piece of trash after announcing some names and the daughter acknowledged me with a very polite, "Mr. Jon."
I was impressed. I asked about her cross country running, kept it short and was very impressed with how she handled herself.
My only interaction last October with the younger one, I was equally impressed.
They seem to be great young ladies, which a good friend of mine - and in the same boat with my problem person - had confirmed.
They all left between 7 and 8 p.m.
I'm sure she feels like I'm in the wrong, but I feel like if I engage that things will never, ever improve. Actually they haven't for eight years.
I will say that this is probably the hardest thing in my life that I've ever gone through.
I spent 90 days away from - without even talking to - my best friend, aside from my daughter, and pretty much everyone in their run group from mid-May to mid-August.
That, unfortunately, starts again today.
I tried to comeback and be involved with his group, but I will not try to overcome - in that space - a hugely negative influence in my life that everybody else seems to love and doesn't see what I see.
I missed engaging with many people in the group, even on a much lesser basis, before and certainly will again.
I've always prayed for God to meet their needs as individuals and as a family. And that's it. I haven't asked to improve the situation because I just don't think she's capable of desiring to do so.
She thinks she's better than me and I won't be party to that.
I had made a post about all of the youngsters in the group who had competed in cross country recently and they made a comment publicly - which wasn't necessary - about me including her girls.
While there was a part that was genuine, I believe, I think it was wrong of her to think that I wouldn't include them.
That would have exposed me as having an axe to grind. Even if I did, it would have ruined my integrity in the community.
I also gave my word in a communication in early February that even if we never spoke again that I would - in my role as an announcer (and other things) - never not congratulate all of their athletic achievements when I had a natural obligation to do so.
I have kept that word with all three of them.
I've done my best and will continue do my best for all, but once again have shut them out digitally. (Good Lord, they have multiple IG accounts. Hope I got them all.)
And with this IG meme that just showed up, I'll close, "Biggest lesson learned this year is probably to not give so much of yourself to people who will not do the same for you."
That individual personified.
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