Congrats on your degree. I know your Father's reaction was very hurtful and disappointing...his reaction was also a trigger for all your past pain and rejection (from your Father and others in your life). You can't change your Father. You can only change how you react to his hurtful, thoughtless, and disappointing remarks. Detach with love my friend...you can love your father and at the same time learn to accept that he is not capable of meeting your emotional needs, and may never be able to...but you are no longer a child, no longer dependent on his acceptance for your feelings of self worth. You are a grown person and you can CHOOSE to love and accept yourself regardless of how incapable he may be of showing you love. You can choose to find other people (friends, lovers, other family members) who do love you, who do treat you with respect, and who do accept you and honor your achievements with great enthusiasm. Will this fill the emotional hole that your Father has created, perhaps not, but you can't spend your life beating yourself up for your Father shortcomings...which is what it really is...this is NOT about you not being worthy of love, its about your Father not loving himself enough to know how to love his children. Detach with love and have compassion for your Father, who is obviously in great pain himself. When we are hurtful, emotional detached, judgement and critical of others, all we are doing is projecting our own pain and disappointment in ourselves onto others. Work on forgiving yourself and your Dad and then go out and celebrate your amazing achievement!
Good mantra: "I forgive you for not being the person I want you to be. I forgive you and I set you free." and then say (like 1,000x a day), "I love and approve of myself."....give yourself the love and support you deserve...self love..it all comes down to self love!
Veronica
