Dear Annie: I love my mother-in-law

Dear Annie: You recently said you rarely get letters praising mothers-in-law. Well, here is one!

I grew up in an abusive family with a mother who has severe borderline personality disorder and refuses to get medication or therapy. When I met my mother-in-law, I was naturally very distrustful of her. Mothers were not safe to me, and mothers-in-law were supposed to be even worse!

I am happy to say that 15 years later, I love the woman dearly. She has helped me heal that little girl who needed a mom to love her unconditionally. Sadly, I was not the best daughter-in-law when she first met me; I was stubborn, distrustful and divisive. Yet, through it all, she did not hold a grudge, and she continued to love me.

I would love to see the narrative on mothers-in-law change! — Change the Narrative

Dear Change: I love your letter.

Thank you for bringing up such a great point.

Many mothers-in-law are wonderful and deserve to be praised. Without a mother-in-law, the son would not have been born.

Read more Dear Annie and other advice columns.

“How Can I Forgive My Cheating Partner?” is out now! Annie Lane’s second anthology — featuring favorite columns on marriage, infidelity, communication and reconciliation — is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit Creators Publishing for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to [email protected].