I don't think free will is true. For this reason I try to have some understanding in my heart over the matter with my family. In a way the experience had made me stronger and in a way it hasn't. As bad as my life was for so long however, I don't know if I would have the same understanding of reality if it were otherwise. It was a domino effect that started when I was just a child.
I went no contact with my family purely for self protection. My mother is highly manipulative. Since childhood, she has made up stories about me to influence people's actions around me. This is why I cut contact with the rest of my family as well. I try to forgive some of them. Its really not their fault they are so easily suggestible and often just doing what they think is right. Furthermore when I came out about the abuse from my mother, they did not believe me. She has untreated borderline personality disorder that causes her to gaslight, scape goat and manipulate. Since going no contact, she has not changed. I know this because she's contacted some people I know. She has no intention of making things right. If I were to speak to her or anyone under her influence, I would be afraid of her trying to get revenge on me in some conniving way like trying to frame me for a crime or who knows what. This is actually typical to the untreated borderline parent. The same things have happened to many children that, I've found.
If I knew for a fact she had changed and for the right reasons, I would definately have a relationship with her and my family. Its natural to have some connection with ones mother. I don't think that will happen though because she's been this way for so long but who knows?
Thanks for welcoming me to the forum.
![Smile](/forum/images/emoticons/smile.png)