Тонкое искусство пофигизма

           Thehumanmindisajumbleofinaccuracy.Andwhilethismaymakeyouuncomfortable,it’sanincrediblyimportantconcepttoaccept,aswe’llsee.

           BeCarefulWhatYouBelieve

           In1988,whileintherapy,thejournalistandfeministauthorMeredithMarancametoastartlingrealization:herfatherhadsexuallyabusedherasachild.Itwasashocktoher,arepressedmemoryshehadspentmostofheradultlifeobliviousto.Butattheageofthirty-seven,sheconfrontedherfatherandalsotoldherfamilywhathadhappened.

           Meredith’snewshorrifiedherentirefamily.Herfatherimmediatelydeniedhavingdoneanything.SomefamilymemberssidedwithMeredith.Otherssidedwithherfather.Thefamilytreewassplitintwo.AndthepainthathaddefinedMeredith’srelationshipwithherfathersincelongbeforeheraccusationnowspreadlikeamoldacrossitsbranches.Ittoreeveryoneapart.

           Then,in1996,Meredithcametoanotherstartlingrealization:herfatheractuallyhadn’tsexuallyabusedher.(Iknow:oops.)She,withthehelpofawell-intentionedtherapist,hadactuallyinventedthememory.Consumedbyguilt,shespenttherestofherfather’slifeattemptingtoreconcilewithhimandotherfamilymembersthroughconstantapologizingandexplaining.Butitwastoolate.Herfatherpassedawayandherfamilywouldneverbethesame.

           ItturnedoutMeredithwasn’talone.