The Story of a Boob

Once upon a time there was an 18-year-old girl who lived at home, but who attended a YSA ward.  One day a member of the high council told the girl that she should make a more concerted effort to keep her parents informed as to what was happening in her life.  The girl was frustrated that her father had been talking about her to the HC member.  But she was trying to be teachable, so she thought, "You know, I should try harder to keep my parents in the loop."  Later that same day, the HC's wife asked the girl if things at their house had calmed down and then asked her--with great feeling--how her mother was doing.  The girl had had no idea that her mother wasn't perfect and wonderful as always.  But she thought, "If I don't tell them things, I can't expect them to tell me things."

Later that same week, the girl received a letter from a friend which was quite disturbing.  She thought, "This is exactly the kind of thing I ought to tell my parents about.  And as a bonus, they will have some wonderful advice for me."  So she went home and poured out her heart to her parents.  To her surprise and consternation, the girl's father went completely berserk.  He told her she was being stupid and should expect this kind of drama; and he stomped out of the room.

THE GIRL WAS VERY, VERY ANGRY.  She began to cry in frustration and told her mom that it wasn't right for her father to talk about her to the HC member and then keep things from her.  She expressed her opinion that if they wanted to know about her life, it should work both ways.  The girl's mother defended her father (which was the right thing to do) but said that she would discuss this mistake with him.

The girl was not that angry with her parents for another 24 years.  But then one day the girl received a phone call from her parents.  She knew instantly that something was wrong, but it must be something that had just happened because she had just spoken with her mom less than 24 hours ago.  The girl's mother told her that three days previously she had had a biopsy on her breast, and she had learned that day that the results were positive:  she had breast cancer.  The girl's mother explained that they hadn't wanted anyone to worry, so they had not said anything about the biopsy.

THE GIRL WAS VERY, VERY ANGRY.  She understood her parents' point of view, but she disagreed with it.  Maybe there was nothing she could do, but maybe she would be able to pray for her mom.  She felt that there was a double standard, because if something like that had happened to her, she would have been in trouble if she hadn't kept her parents informed.  She knew that her sister--who lives with her parents--was completely in the loop; so why weren't the others informed?  She wondered if her mom remembered how hard it is to not be close to family when things are happening, and how hard it is to feel connected to them, and how much it hurts when she can't be there with them.

The girl is afraid of what emotions will come next.  Fear?  Sadness?  Worry?  But right now, anger rules the universe.