Protein Bar Theft

Last night I was getting my pre-op diet food sorted.  I wanted to make sure that I would be ready on Sunday morning and that I had everything I needed.  Everything was given to me in this huge paper shopping bag.  What I noticed first thing was that the seal had been broken on one of the boxes of protein bars.  I opened the box and inside was only six bars instead of seven.  I know that it was sealed when I brought it home.

I grilled my husband and kids, but I had a feeling it wasn’t them.  My husband would never have touched them (knowing they were for my pre-op diet), and my kids aren’t into protein bars.  Which left me with my mom.  My mother did me a favor and stayed at my house to dog-sit while we were out of town one week.  I’m 99% sure my mom opened the box and ate one of my bars.

I felt pretty bent out of shape about it.  Sure--she wouldn’t have known that they were set aside for my pre-op diet.  But when I came home she had even mentioned how proud she was of me getting ready for my surgery and mentioned the diet food in the bag in the pantry.  And I said, “oh yeah--that’s my food for my pre-op diet.”  She didn’t say a damn thing about eating some of it!

Why do I suspect her?  Because she has done stuff like this before.  I remember one time she bought me a box of milk duds to cheer me up.  And I didn’t eat it that night because I was saving it for the next day.  But when I looked for it the next day it was gone.  She had eaten it.  And when I got frustrated she couldn’t understand.  She had bought it after all!

I wanted to call her and confront her about it.  But I also know that she would just get defensive.  She would also try to turn it around--that I should just be thankful that she did me the supreme favor of dog-sitting for me.  Not that it matters that I’ve thanked her profusely numerous times and brought her a really nice gift back from my trip.  Not that it matters that she goes to my brother’s house at least once per month to babysit for them.  I ask for her help maybe once per year.  

So last night I decided not to call.  Not to confront her.  But most importantly, I have decided to let it go.  It’s just a stupid protein bar.  Yes, I believe she did the wrong thing.  But she’s my mom and I love her.  I don’t want to let stupid stuff like this mess me up.  I need to learn to let things go and forgive.  Someone recently reminded me that feeling angry and holding onto things only hurts me--it doesn’t hurt the other person.  Forgiving someone… it’s not for them.  It’s for me.  It allows me to heal from it.  My resentment does nothing for me.  So, Mom, no big deal.