s/o mom I know is missing -- bizarre turn of events

[kalanamak]

I've never had it happen to anyone in our family. But, several years ago, we had a pastor who related to us what happened in his first marriage. He came home from church one day to find the baby and the 3 year old sitting in the middle of the floor completely unattended. Nothing was missing from the house but her car was gone.

 

 

 

You know, I'm a glass-half-full person, and if someone decides to run off and not blow away kids and spouse with a shotgun in a fit of anger/despair, I think they've made a good choice.

 

I remember when I was working 70 hours a week, and baby was little. I was shouting at hubby, and I drove off to work thinking my family would be better off if I left. I thought about going back to the midwest, working, and sending them money. It felt very real and workable. Luckily, in the drive to work I realized I just needed a different job! A pay cut and less chance for advancement was probably cheaper than supporting two families anyway. To say nothing of the child.

 

But one CAN think so little of one's shouting self to think your family would be better off without you. If I, Mrs. Sunshine, can think that once in her life, anyone else could, too.

[MariannNOVA]

Let me guess -- Faith's pastor's wife left during the 1970s. What a toxic time of selfishness that was. All of popular culture was aligned to make people feel they were missing out if they didn't pursue exactly what they wanted the moment they wanted it, no matter what the cost. There were broken homes all over the place. Think of "Kramer vs. Kramer," where the mom left her husband and little boy so that she could find herself.

 

I'm so thankful that society frowns on that kind of behavior nowadays. I can't imagine how that mom in Ohio thought she could get away with running off and leaving her family.

 

Funny you should mention that -- I was going to mention it in a post last night, but I was afraid that I would be the only one who remembered the movie, i.e. was of movie going age when it came out.

 

I do remember what was probably the only 'funny' line in the movie.....in the beginning of the movie, when Dustin Hoffman isn't quite sure what is going on and he finds the stack of credit cards........he says something about 'She won't be gone long, she left the Bloomingdale's card.'

[Renee in NC]

You know, I'm a glass-half-full person, and if someone decides to run off and not blow away kids and spouse with a shotgun in a fit of anger/despair, I think they've made a good choice.

 

I remember when I was working 70 hours a week, and baby was little. I was shouting at hubby, and I drove off to work thinking my family would be better off if I left. I thought about going back to the midwest, working, and sending them money. It felt very real and workable. Luckily, in the drive to work I realized I just needed a different job! A pay cut and less chance for advancement was probably cheaper than supporting two families anyway. To say nothing of the child.

 

But one CAN think so little of one's shouting self to think your family would be better off without you. If I, Mrs. Sunshine, can think that once in her life, anyone else could, too.

 

Thinking of it and doing it are two different things, though. Thinking off it is human. Doing it is just plain selfish.

[kalanamak]

Thinking of it and doing it are two different things, though. Thinking off it is human. Doing it is just plain selfish.

 

For some. For some foolish and weak. But, cornered animals bite. I'm all for running off rather than inflicting bodily harm.

[TravelingChris]

Growing up I knew two people who had this done to them when they were little. One guy was the oldest of five and he was my brother's friend in college. He went to the local college because he was still needed by his father to help with raising his younger siblings. They had no idea where the mom was because she never appeared. For whatever reason (maybe she took money?) the kids and the Dad didn't think it was foul play.

 

The other kid was a girl in my high school. Her dad had disappeared after calling her and telling her (as a child) that he was coming home and bringing her something. Again, it wasn't foul play. BUt this girl had obvious problems from the abbandonment. She was incredibly smart but it was so sad what her father did to her. Her psyche was not okay at all.