(((Del12))

Therapy stirs up some tough feelings for me also. It's not always easy to put everything back into a neat little package when we leave therapy and go back to the real world. Those emotions sometimes follow us out the therapy room door and we feel them intensely! I hope you're feeling a bit better now.

I also have a sister, and as the not-favorite one, I can understand how bad it makes you feel when your parents praise your sibling but don't do the same with you. My dad got on my case one day during a family dinner, when he'd had too much to drink, and brought up several things about me that he was disappointed in (he told me it was a mistake I didn't have kids, and also called me lazy). He also said, "You should have done things the way your sister did. She did everything right."

It hurts when we feel like our parents love our sibling more, or are prouder of them than they are of us. It's human to feel hurt and angry. You said, "I am not the loving excepting daughter/sister I should be." I don't hear you being unloving. I hear you saying "I feel hurt and angry because my parents praise my sister and not the rest of us." That's a normal reaction to what feels like injustice. It doesn't make you a terrible daughter.

I'm sorry you feel so overwhelmed with emotion right now. You're right, IT IS hard to cope when we feel things so deeply inside. And I've often said the same thing you did here:

Why do I have to feel things so deeply? Why can't I be one of those who just lets it roll off their back. . . I want to feel good and strong so bad.

Having the trait of high sensitivity can be hard to bear sometimes, but it can be a great asset too. The fact that you're feeling sad and concerned about your child's friend shows that you are a kind, compassionate, and empathetic person. The world needs more people like you.

I hope you are feeling a little better today.