At a recent orchestral concert in Edinburgh with my family,
I changed the way I applauded the musicians.
When I was 30, a boyfriend told me that I clapped ‘like
a seal’. To keep the peace between us, I changed the way I clapped.
But he wasn’t the first emotionally abusive relationship I
had been in. When I was 19, I thought I had met a mature and sophisticated 25
year old man. But as with all abusive relationships, the fairy tale turned into
a grim one.
If it wasn’t for my friends, I wouldn’t have had the initial
courage to leave both these relationships.
At that Edinburgh concert, my daughter pointed out that I no longer had
to clap the way my ex-boyfriend had wanted me to.
And so, I clapped the way I liked to.
Big loud handfuls of
claps.
And it felt good.
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Photo © Paula Gilfillan. All Rights Reserved. |
Love it, I stifled my horrendous laugh for a couple of decades...divorced the bloke and let rip... that felt good. How many of us pressures our actions and natural exuberance to please others. Sad sad world. Good for you.
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