Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 86226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86226 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Dear Diary
I’m worried about my son. Phoenix is so different from his siblings, Apollo, Ares, and Athena. While they are brimming with life and enthusiasm, Phoenix is a pale shadow of who he should be. His eyes are sad; an abyss of unraveled secrets and hidden fears that I can only guess at. He does not laugh or joke like the other children. He doesn’t seem to have any friends. He is alone in his own world, a solitary figure of sadness. I have tried to talk to him to pierce the veil of sadness that surrounds him, but he turns away from me, like he is carrying a weight too heavy for me to understand.
As a mother, it breaks my heart to see him like this. I fear that I am failing him, and that I am not doing enough to help him. I want to be able to help and understand his struggles, but I am afraid I don’t have the ability to do so. I know for a fact his father doesn’t.
I try to show him love and acceptance, but it’s hard when he is so different from the other children. When I look into his eyes, I feel like there is something more to his sadness, something that is too heavy for him to carry alone. I feel helpless, and sometimes I worry that he may be hiding a family secret from me.
I want Phoenix to know that no matter what he is going through, I am here for him, and I will do whatever it takes to help him. He needs love and guidance, not judgement or criticism. All I want is for my son to be happy and find the strength to confront whatever it is that has been holding him back.
I talk to Apollo, Ares and Athena about their brother, but all they can offer me are shoulder shrugs and lip biting; they don’t really understand what Phoenix is going through either. It’s like we’re all in the dark about this mystery of his, just wandering around blindly hoping that one day it will reveal itself and give us an answer.
My worries for Phoenix are only compounded by my concerns over my other children. Athena, my daughter, is a fiery and passionate soul. She has a strength in her that can be both empowering and dangerous. Her confidence and independence can be inspiring to watch, but it can also lead to recklessness and anger. I try to talk to her about her feelings, but she often shuts me out or gets defensive.
Athena’s temper sometimes gets the better of her, leading to raging arguments or fights with the other children. I am scared for her safety. I don’t want her getting into physical altercations with anyone, let alone her siblings or friends. I understand that she needs an outlet for her emotions, but I worry that if she doesn’t learn how to control them soon, it could have serious consequences.
I have tried many different methods of helping Athena with her anger—teaching her breathing exercises, talking to her calmly when she’s upset, encouraging positive self-talk—but nothing seems to help in the moment when she is overcome by emotion. I just want my daughter to know that no matter what happens, I love and accept her unconditionally.
As a mother of four children, it is hard not being able to protect them all at once from everything that might harm them: whether it be physical danger or emotional trauma; external threats or internal struggles like those Phoenix and Athena are facing.
I look at my son Apollo with a heavy heart. He’s the son that can do no wrong in his father’s eyes. He is handsome, charming and always eager to please everyone—not just his father, but anyone he comes in contact with.
The problem is that I am worried he is too eager to please, and that he’s not being true to himself. I have tried talking to him about this, but he either doesn’t understand what I’m saying or ignores my warnings altogether. All I want for my son is for him to be happy and fulfilled in life. If that means following his father’s expectations then so be it, but if it means striking out on his own path, then I’ll be there cheering him on.
I worry that Apollo is so focused on earning his father’s approval that he’ll lose sight of his own passions and desires. It breaks my heart to think that he might be sacrificing something important for the sake of appearing successful in the eyes of others.
Ares is my hardest child, and perhaps the most difficult to understand. On the one hand he is brave and fearless—always ready to take on a challenge or stand up for what he believes in. He takes pride in being the protector of our family, and his siblings often turn to him in moments of distress. However, I worry that Ares’s desire to protect can lead him to act without considering all the consequences of his actions.