I hear you even when you are silent

This is not an original title. I read it off a friend's post on facebook. But it spoke to me. For this is exactly how i feel with my loved ones.

M is about to step across the threshold into independent living. I want to be there for her but the pattern of interaction has been set a while ago. Her go-to person is her mom. Even in dinner conversations, her answers to my questions would be directed more towards her mom.

Maybe she feels i haven't been around enough, hence i don't know her enough and therefore her answers would be more appreciated by her mom who would have the full context.

Our conversations have become less frequent nowadays and when we do chat, it is often on things of import. So rather than a chat, it becomes counselling or worse instructing.

That's not the relationship i want. Just yesterday, as a result of some photo transfer request, we got into a misunderstanding. But in that difficult moment, i felt we reached a breakthrough. She learned how i felt about externalising problems. I have however not yet achieve the breakthrough myself, about how i have not understood her better.

I will do better.

I understand all this and i accept it. I only wish to tell her, and all my loved ones that i hear you even when you are silent.