"My Mother Wants To Ruin My Life; I Hate Her For That"

"If my mother gets an opportunity to read this story, I am sure she will feel very bad because she went through a lot because of me and to her, all she is doing right now is helping me out of my present situation and she would feel I do not appreciate her efforts.

I am depressed and I need your help to get out of the present situation I am in. I have learnt a great deal from your column and I know you can help me.

But this is not the issue at hand because I have to go on with my life. After all, she caused the whole problem from the beginning; so, I cannot see any justification for her to be so annoyed, but I am sure she will: I am using this medium to also ask for her forgiveness.

I am the only female child of my parents and perhaps, one could say that was why we are so close. I was not a lazy brat despite our closeness. I did not depend sorely on my mother for finances. I was quite dexterous and, thank God, I got on so well in my business.

As the eldest, I didn't have the opportunity of going to school; I opted for business, but I made sure my younger brothers got some education, the least being secondary school education.

Things started taking a downturn in my life when I met Dele, a relationship my mother never liked from the onset.

I was very close to my mother, but I knew her flaws and I decided to take only the advice that I deemed useful; but despite this, I couldn't take charge of things; my mother almost sent Dele packing from my life at the initial stage of our relationship.

At first, I was overwhelmed by my mother's reaction, how she had her hackles up the first time I brought Dele home. When he left on this fateful day, the first thing my mother complained about was his stature.

I think I should describe Dele, so that you can get a better picture of him. Dele was a stout man and not really appealing. But since I was not after his beauty, I gave a little thought to my mother's lurid expression. After all, I am the one marrying him not my mother. Please what should I do?"

- The above is a letter written by a lady (name withheld) to the in-house counsellor of a National Newspaper, complaining about her mother's interference in her life.