Some Honesty

I love my mom. I want to say that first and foremost, because not only is it true now, but it will always be true, no matter what happens between us. It's also important for me to say that she has done absolutely nothing recently that has made me think ill of her (as I guess I'm probably thinking now). In fact, since moving out, my relationship with her has improved tremendously.

That being said, it's come to my attention numerous times over the last several months that I have somewhat of an inhibiting fear of my mother's opinion of me. I thought this fear would go away with time as I entered the adult world and I spent less and less time under her influence, but it simply hasn't. Most alarming, I recently came across an opportunity to do something very important to me, something I've wanted to do for a long time, and I almost didn't do it because I was worried she would resent me. And although I don't want her to resent me, I also don't want to rein myself in--to not experience life to its fullest--simply thinking that she might.

I don't think this is very normal. Is this the kind of thing people speak to their therapists about? Is this the kind of thing all children deal with as they become adults and cut the umbilical cord? I guess I don't know.