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11/12/2013
Dear Dr. Laura:
I am in your debt and owe you. So choose what sort of payment you want. Please make it very, very expensive because what you have given me is priceless.
I am married to the most caring, compassionate, giving, selfless, wonderful man who ever lived. Not only is he my boyfriend and best friend, he is the sunshine in my day. Without him, life would be a never ending series of gloomy cloudy days. We have two children ages 15 and 4.
I should tell you that before listening to you I made mistake after mistake. I shacked up with a man who was not only emotionally abusive, but turned out to be an alcoholic and drug addict. He was not only abusive to me, but also to the child we had together. I left him and he very willingly signed away his parental rights to avoid any sort of child support. I met my current husband soon after leaving him and yes, I didn't follow the advice you give about staying single until your child is raised, I fell in love with him. I am, however, the exception to the rule. My husband not only fell in love with my daughter, he adopted her and she is now his life. Although my story has a happy ending, I wouldn't advise anyone else to do this. It could have just as easily gone the other way. We had another daughter in 2009 who is now 4.
I had thought by this time I had "matured", how little did I know. I thought that because I didn't have my child in day care and my husband watched her while I was at work, I wasn't harming her in anyway. Boy how wrong I was. Although my husband is a wonderful father, I didn't realize that nothing, and I mean nothing, can replace the love and time a mother has with her baby. By the time I came home from work and took care of the cooking, laundry and various other household chores, I was much too exhausted to spend any quality time with her. Everyday at work, I would listen to you tell women how important it was to be at home with your child. Each time I heard you say this to some woman, a little tingle went up my spine and I would think, "Quit and go home where you belong." My husband was very understanding of my job or so I thought, but I could tell he wanted me home also. After one particularly grueling day, I looked at my boss and said "I like you very much and I like my job, but I LOVE my family" I quit there and then. I couldn't stand one more moment away from the really important things. I have never looked back and I have never been happier. Not long after me quitting, my daughter said, "Mommy, you're not leaving to work?" I said, "No Baby. Mommy's not leaving to work ever again." Her hug and smile brought tears to my eyes and a feeling I couldn't ever begin to describe. So you see Dr. Laura, I owe you for opening my eyes and giving me the greatest gift I have ever been given...my family. Name your price.
Forever in your debt,
Nancy
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