My dad, when I, when I was younger, like, literally from age 0 to 7, he was a wonderful father. Like, he was always there. But he struggled with mental illness. You know, he's bipolar 2 cycling. Like one of the worst, like bipolar, out there, you know? With depression and, and all that. And we didn't know that at the time. It was very difficult, growing up with that and seeing his lows and his highs.

I think that growing up, I did have a little bit of resentment because of that abandonment feeling that I had. But I don't, I also don't at the same time. Because I know that it doesn’t have to do with me. You know? He always loved me. Both of my parents do. And he tried his best.

You know, a lot of people say that like, the separation of, like, the nuclear family, like, isn't that good. But sometimes, like when something doesn't work, like, it just doesn't work, you know? So it was just time. So when that happened, it's funny, but I got to know who my mom really was. She was, like, spunky. Like, she had dark humor. She would laugh more. She was starting to shed, like, weight. Because I feel like my dad was a big weight on her. So I got to know her for who she really was, and we were able to connect more in, in our mother-daughter relationship and our friendship.

So the divorce was equally hard, but equally freeing as well. Not only for me, but for her and as a family as well.