Hi Guys. I wanted to take a moment and share a conversation that I had with my mother last night. It really showed me something.

Now, naturally, I love my mother. This isn't intended to condemn her, but having a parent illustrate a principal like this validated my feelings about certain things.

About 15 months ago, my wife left me. Before she left I developed depression, a drinking issue. I understand why she left, though I can't say I would have done the same. She left because her husband turned from the man that she loved into a puddle of goo. There was no abuse.

Last year my wife had filed taxes and had done so as single. Apparently because we were together in 2014 legally she should have met with me to file jointly. I really have no issue with her filing singly, it's not a big deal and there wasn't a lot of money involved.

As my mother and I were talking, she was going on and on about how this year I should file taxes and get her money (I'm not sure how I would do this, but it doesn't matter). On and on and on. I tried to explain that I really don't care about the money. That I was broken up over the whole thing. That I thought I had shared something with this woman, something special and life long, that really mattered to me. That I was hurt that she's recently taken up with another man, and didn't even divorce me first. That I'd lost something precious..

The look of incredulity on my mothers face quick frankly shocked me. "But the money, Steven. What about that money?!"

Then it hit me. There really were two different worldviews at play here. Growing up, I spend some time with my dad on weekends and such. I saw how he lived while paying child support. I saw him use all the little tricks to get the most bang for his buck. I saw him buy the ends off the bologna because they were so cheap. Saw him always have the bare minimum. Sometimes he would talk about it, but he would stop himself before his bitterness really started coming out because he didn't want to badmouth my mother.

My mother and father got a divorce by the way because my mom had an affair when I was three years old with her boss at walgreens. After my father found out, my mom begged him not to divorce her, but he did. And it was the right call.

Never the less. She cheated. They divorced. She got paid. 30 years later at the end of my first and only marriage all she can do is give me advice to GET THE MOST MONEY I CAN. I just don't FUCKING understand this kind of thought process, and my mom is my mom, but what in the ever loving fuck, you know?