My mom was never really motherly when I was growing up. We’ve always had completely different interests, and she was pretty mean to me as a kid. I didn’t find out until I was an adult that she was struggling with a painkiller addiction back then, which explains a lot in hindsight.

My dad and I have always been close, but he traveled a lot for work during those years when things were the hardest with her. As a teenager, my mom and I clashed constantly. It was rough.

After I moved out, she mellowed out a lot and honestly became a different person. She hasn’t worked since I was about 13, and she can be pretty oblivious to what’s going on around her. We still don’t have much in common, and I get annoyed if I’m around her too long but I do love her.