Letting A Friendship Go, Finding The Courage To Leave & Keeping Your Parents' Secrets

Today – when to let go of a friendship, finding the courage to walk away and the burden of keeping your father’s cheating secret. In this episode, Clementine answers:

- I was good friends with a girl I lived in my old street with. We lived in the same street for about 3 years, had our babies at the same time and were very close. I considered her one of my good friends. I moved across the city about 30 mins away and so of course we saw each other less but still continued to catch up. Over the last 2 years I've tried to continue the friendship and have contacted her multiple times to which I basically get ignored. Should I let this friendship go or address it with her? 
 
-  I’m 29 and have been with my partner for nearly 12 years. Over that time we’ve had huge ups and downs. We’ve travelled the world together, now own a home and I’ve also had incredible independence in travelling alone, making friends and forging a great career for myself. We’ve also had lots of lows. My partner has bipolar and I’m his primary carer as it’s a secret from his family (his choice), he has physically cheated once and at least three times emotionally, including late last year. Lately I’ve been thinking about the kind of future I want, and the only word that comes to my is “peace.” Mistakes aside, my partner is a beautiful person, but I have made lots of sacrifices and I think I’d finally like to choose me. So how on earth do you find the courage to walk away, particularly when it involves hurting somebody else? 
 
- Ten or so years ago I was on a gap year and stayed with my dad in Nepal while he was working there for a couple of months. One day I came back to the apartment and there was a female colleague of his there too. That night he told me it was a mistake and he was very sorry. He was sorry too that it was a burden I would have to carry to not tell his wife, my mum. I still struggle with what responsibility I have to my mum, knowing what happened. Today my parents are seemingly happier than ever. I’m really terrified of being the one to break this family, but I can’t shake the feeling that this isn’t fair for my mum. And does me being their son change this dynamic at all? 

If you have a question for Clementine, get in touch: dearclementine@novapodcasts.com.au 

CREDITS 
Audio Production: Adrian Walton 
Managing Producer: Elle Beattie 
Executive Producer: Edwina Stott 

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