In one fell swoop my mother's admonishing voice in my head disappeared. Let's hope it stays that way.

It was just discovered my mom's entire story about who she was and where she came from was a lie. In fact, she was not the daughter of a woman of rank, money, and privilege afterall. Mom had us believing her own mother had left Scotland for love leaving behind aristocracy. The truth? Nah, my grandmother's father was a fruit seller.

Well mom, you may not be here but you got your comeuppance.

(This sounds horrible of me but the story and reasons are far too long and numbered to relate.)

How does this relate to my mental health?

My entire life my mother was measuring me by own successes and her demands that I be 'better than ordinary'. What will people think of me was drilled into my head. And my whole life I've had her voice running a constant commentary that I'm not good enough and that people think I'm a stupid, ugly, idiot.

I found out the astonishing news days ago, and it occurs to me I haven't heard her angry voice since.