One relationship I've had a terrible time with is the one with my mother-in-law. (She calls herself The Mother).

She has never been nice to me since I met my husband. She has consistently made hurtful remarks and when she hasn't has always twisted the conversation to seem as though I believe I'm "better" than she is.

I tried all sorts of things to get her involved in my life and in my son's life; I tried to invite her to do things with us, tried talking about things that we were doing, stuff like that.

All she ever was interested in was talking to my husband and about my husband.

I could write pages upon pages about the hurt and anger I've felt towards "The Mother", but it will just wind me up.

To make things a shortened version...I have let this woman get to me so much that I am physically ill when I believe she'll be around. I totally avoid her at all costs & it irritates me to no end when she might call or email.

I want to back out of this "relationship" with her because for my own sake, I feel it's needed. My husband says he has seen things that she's done & has only commented on one thing that I may have done to her that he is aware of. I have tried to reconcile that event and she ignores me, doesn't even respond.

I asked for her to leave me alone because that's essentially what she wants me to do...leave her alone.

She asked me to forgive her and wants to start over.

Maybe I'm horrible, but I feel like she's had two years of treating me like garbage and of ignoring my son, why should I give her more of my time and hope for something better?

To do the "right thing", tell me what you think I should do....I'm just wondering other people's thoughts on the matter, because I am very weary of thinking it over and rethinking it, only to feel the same way in the end.

If how I feel isn't how everyone else feels, that's okay, I just want to know someone else's viewpoint who isn't related to either of us (I know that it's only one-sided because she's not here to type her side...)