This article is a fictional novel, the pictures are all network pictures, and the names of people and places are all apocryphal.
1
I'm Li Shufen, I just retired this year, 62 years old.
What I'm looking forward to the most is finally spending more time with my family, especially being able to take care of my newborn granddaughter herself.
Unexpectedly, this simple wish was rejected by her daughter-in-law Zhang Mei.
Zhang Mei said that my traditional parenting style is not only outdated, but also not suitable for modern dolls.
I felt very lost and unacceptable to say this.
What made me even more angry was that my son Wang Haoran actually stood by her side and told me not to impose my own views on them, which was like a bolt from the blue for me, and it made me feel extremely cold.
I worked with Lao Wang all my life, worked hard to raise my son, and the monthly pension after retirement was only 4,000 yuan.
I really can't figure it out, we have so much experience in life, why can't we be involved in raising our granddaughter?
Has time really changed, and all our knowledge and experience have become worthless?
After a quarrel with Wang Haoran and Zhang Mei, I lost control of my emotions and couldn't think about it for a while, so I ran away from home with a few clothes.
I arrived at the park not far away, sat on a bench and thought about the hard work of my life, but in the end it ended up like this.
That night, I didn't go home and slept at a friend's house.
I had mixed feelings, and the only thing I was glad about was that this relative and friend didn't ask too much and gave me a quiet space.
The next day, I heard that Wang Haoran had gone to the community center for help because he couldn't find me.
He talked a lot there, saying how hard he worked for this family, and he was so busy with work and had to deal with family affairs.
He also mentioned his grievances and his yearning for a harmonious family.
But in these descriptions, he seems to ignore my feelings and don't really understand why I left home.
I have always thought that home is the warmest harbor, no matter how stormy it is outside, home should be the most gentle place for each other.
I ran away from home, not only because I was denied care for my granddaughter, but more importantly because I felt that my status in the family was changing.
At this specific moment, I felt an unprecedented sense of loneliness and helplessness, and my heart was full of confusion.
At the suggestion of the teacher at the community center, I returned home.
I looked at Wang Haoran and Zhang Mei, they both looked nervous and uneasy, I knew that this family needed communication, understanding, and tolerance.
Although I still have a lot of grievances and grievances in my heart, I decided to try to let go of my hardness, perhaps, so that we can find a path of mutual understanding and respect.
2
The day after I got home, I sat down in front of my old-fashioned wooden coffee table and called Xiao Li, a staff member at the community center.
I thought maybe it was time to remove this big stone from my heart and tell others what I had not been able to say.
When Xiao Li received my call, she was stunned for a moment, and then warmly told me that she had been paying attention to my situation and hoped that I could get better.
I began to say: Actually, I have a lot of love for my home.
During the day, I would quietly watch my granddaughter and Zhang Mei walk together in the park near my home, and at night, I would silently follow my daughter-in-law's growing up photos on WeChat.
But whenever I think of the unhappiness between me and Zhang Mei and my son, my heart is as uncomfortable as if I was blocked by something.
I also mentioned how my son and I have been dependent on each other since we were children, and how we supported each other in the difficult years of Beipiao, and finally had our own small family and stable life.
I thought that after retirement, I would be able to focus more on my family, especially my newborn granddaughter.
However, the reality is that after the birth of my granddaughter, my situation has become more difficult, and every suggestion to my daughter-in-law is like an offense to them, and my heart is full of powerlessness and bitterness.
I told Li that I decided to run away from home that night because I felt a sense of frustration that I had never felt before.
I wanted to give my granddaughter the best love I could, but I was told that my way was "outdated"; I wanted to spend my golden years with my family, but I was treated indifferently and estranged by my mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.
The most heart-wrenching thing is that I didn't expect my son Wang Haoran, my pride, to say that kind of thing to me, making me feel that the whole world no longer welcomes me.
Xiao Li on the other end of the phone listened to me and comforted me: "Aunt Shufen, I can understand your feelings. Family harmony requires everyone to work together, and communication is always more important than avoiding problems. ”
Later, she also gave me some advice, such as how to communicate and interact with her daughter-in-law, and how to express her opinions effectively without causing conflict.
After hanging up, I let out a long sigh.
I know that if I want to make a difference, I can't do it alone, but at least I've taken the first step.
In the evening, after Wang Haoran and Zhang Mei returned home, I decided to follow the advice of the staff at the community center and try to start a family meeting, although I was still somewhat nervous.
That night, as we sat around the table, I mustered up the courage to open my mouth, even though there was a slight embarrassment and nervousness in the air.
I told them about my love for my family, my expectations for my granddaughter, and the indifference and hurt I felt.
Wang Haoran and Zhang Mei in front of them obviously looked a little surprised, as if they didn't expect me to take the initiative to carry out such a dialogue.
At that moment, I realized that being able to sit together as a family and communicate openly and honestly was no small step forward.
Perhaps, in the coming days, we can try to understand and respect each other even harder, and gradually reduce the distance between the depths of our hearts.
3
That night, the shock and discomfort of the family meeting still made me toss and turn.
I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, wondering what to do next.
I knew I couldn't take this emaciated life anymore, and I needed more than just a conversation.
I want true understanding, respect, and love.
The next morning, I didn't say much to my family, just told them I was going out for a walk.
I walked through the crowded streets to a community service center not far from our home.
There, I got a job as a volunteer.
Starting from small things, helping my neighbors, from teaching children to draw to chatting with the elderly, every seemingly small thing has helped me regain the meaning and value of life.
However, the conflict between me and my son Wang Haoran and daughter-in-law Zhang Mei did not disappear because of this.
When they learned of my decision, they reacted violently, thinking that I was running away from the problem and being irresponsible to my family.
During that time, our relationship became more and more tense and conflicting was frequent.
I tried to explain, but every exchange was like throwing a stone into a bottomless pit, and silence and misunderstanding kept us further and further apart.
Eventually, I made a difficult decision – to leave.
Once the idea is formed, it can never be shaken off.
I quietly packed my simple luggage, left a letter explaining my decision, and then walked out of the house in pain, one morning, with a lonely heart.
In the days since I left, I have become more involved in the work of community volunteers, following my heart and bringing a little warmth to the community with my actions.
At that moment, although I lost my family, I found another sense of belonging.
Wang Haoran and Zhang Mei also seemed to start reflecting after my departure.
They approached me through the community center in the hope of reconciling and mending the relationship.
However, for me, it is difficult to regain the trust and dependence that I had at the beginning.
It's impossible for my relationship with them to go back to the past.
However, I also don't want our conflicts to affect my granddaughter's growth.
After much communication, we reached a compromise decision.
While maintaining an appropriate distance, I will still participate in the growth of my granddaughter and be a distant grandmother.
It's not the ideal solution, but at least, we've all worked hard for our granddaughter's upbringing.
With this agreement, my heart has settled down a little.
My departure eventually became the beginning of my liberation.
In this new environment, I found a new self, and maybe that's the way I really want to live.
This story is purely fictional, the names and events in the story are fictional, and the purpose of using place names is only for the purpose of describing the plot and making it easy to read and understand.