Turning your back on negative energy sounds like a good thing, but life is FILLED with negative (and positive) energy. It's not possible to turn your back on life because sooner or later it will catch up to you. I seriously doubt our purpose here on earth is to hide from life - or each other.

In your parents case, it's not possible because it's their responsibility to teach you how to overcome obstacles and live in this world. It might feel peaceful for them, but the only lesson they are teaching you is to run away from difficult situations.

I have a biracial (black/white) son, and he's had to learn to live with extreme negative energy from the outside world. We live in a part of town in Chicago that has a long history of being prejudiced against blacks. He was picked on by classmates, teachers, parents, ministers and policemen over the years.

I've always had an open relationship with my son - he can tell me anything that's on his mind. However, when he was a teenager there were days when he'd storm into the house, go to his room and blast heavy metal music. It was his way of releasing all that negative energy, so I gave him that space. After a few minutes, the music would die down and he'd be balanced enough to discuss with me what upset him that day.

We bought him a car for his 18th birthday. It was an old/used car, nothing fancy, but still in good condition. He LOVED the car, and couldn't wait to show off his present to a friend of his. Her father wouldn't allow him into their house, so she asked him to meet her at the 7-11 on the corner.

He was sitting in his car waiting for his friend, and he looked into the rear view mirror. He was surrounded by police with guns drawn, and they told him over the bullhorn to get out of his car with his hands up. They threw him up against his car and searched him but found nothing. They called his car a piece of crap, ridiculed his clothing, made fun of his security job, and told him they'd shoot him if he ever came into their neighborhood again.

My son was COMPLETELY surrounded by negative energy that day. I'm thankful now I didn't teach him to run away or turn his back when confronted with negative energy - he would have been killed on the spot if he had.

Naturally, he came home in an explosive mood. He had no choice but to bring all that negative energy home with him. He was so upset that he punched a hole in one of our walls. It wouldn't have been appropriate for us to turn our backs on him for ruining our day - or wall.

I hope and pray you'll be able to find a way to communicate with your parents without them seeing you as mere "energy" - negative or positive.