I have an unenviable task this weekend. I have had to set up a meeting with my wife and my mother because of a problem that came up last week. How do you mediate without taking sides with one of the two people you love the most?
When I courted my wife, I think that my mum expected her to become like one of her own, call her mum, and enjoy a close relationship with her. Well was she in for a surprise. Although I love my wife dearly, she is rather cold from an emotional point of view and found it difficult to bond with my parents. My parents took exception to this and this led to a very strained relationship between them for all thirty years of my marraige. My mum did try very hard in the 90's to be extra nice to my wife, but to no avail. Dad has since died and mum is now in her late 70's and has become very emotional because of the situation.
To my wifes credit, she is probably the most easy going person I have known. In all my years of marriage we have probably had serious disagreements on only 3 occasions, She never harbours a grudge, I have never known her to curse. She does not remain angry. She is also a fantastic mother and grandmother. All of which makes mediating this meeting very daunting.
I appreciate the good qualities in both women and wish that they could come to some compromise.This is just killing me.