re: Have any of you been distanced from your Dad and he passed away during that time?

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Some heavy stuff in this thread. It's a shame so many of you have had bad relationships with parents.

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It's not so surprising, unfortunately. Many of our parents did the best they could do, but they are just as broken as well (like many of us at one point in our lives). There's not really a step-by-step manual on how to be a great person or parent, especially when feelings and emotions have the ability to run our decision-making process if one lets them.

Letting go, and having healthy boundaries is often necessary for one's self, in many difficult situations, but I have to think that trying to repair and restore a relationship with mom or dad must be a top priority --- after all, they are the sole reason why we are here today to feel all the emotions we feel.