1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:03,520 Speaker 1: Time now for the Strawberry Letter for today. If you 2 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:07,400 Speaker 1: need advice and relationships, dating, work, sex, parenting, and more, 3 00:00:07,800 --> 00:00:11,319 Speaker 1: please submit your Strawberry Letter to Steve Harvey FM dot 4 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:14,880 Speaker 1: com and click submit Strawberry Letter. We could be reading 5 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:17,480 Speaker 1: your letter love on the air, just like we're gonna 6 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:20,840 Speaker 1: read this one right here, right now. Hold on tight. 7 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:24,480 Speaker 1: We got it for you. Here it is letter. Did 8 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:28,680 Speaker 1: you hear me? Oh? I heard the fact that I 9 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:32,440 Speaker 1: get to do my intro he because when he not he, 10 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:35,440 Speaker 1: I mean when when you not you you don't want 11 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:40,159 Speaker 1: meet saying nothing, you don't like me? You mean you 12 00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:42,160 Speaker 1: mean you mean don't want you saying nothing? Like now 13 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 1: when she could be reading a letter like you don't 14 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:48,479 Speaker 1: like me? Unless he loves talking about it. Let's talk 15 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:52,640 Speaker 1: about all right subject. We have a big problem sis. 16 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 1: Dear Stephen Shirley, I've been divorced for four years and 17 00:00:56,120 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 1: my seven year old child is caught up in a 18 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 1: dysfunctional mess with me and my ex husband. After my divorce, 19 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:05,960 Speaker 1: I found out that my older sister was having an 20 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:10,120 Speaker 1: affair with my husband. Throughout the divorce, she was my 21 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:13,680 Speaker 1: rock and I turned to her for advice since she'd 22 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 1: been divorced three times. All of the signs were there 23 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 1: that they could have been messing around, but I was 24 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:23,479 Speaker 1: going through hell, so I didn't notice. My sister had 25 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:25,959 Speaker 1: started calling me at work a lot, and I thought 26 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 1: it was to check on me, but I found out 27 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:30,759 Speaker 1: later that she was making sure I was at work 28 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:34,920 Speaker 1: so she could be alone with my husband in our bed. 29 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:39,319 Speaker 1: When it all came out, I felt so stupid. It 30 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:42,280 Speaker 1: seemed as if my husband was relieved to give me 31 00:01:42,319 --> 00:01:46,679 Speaker 1: the details. Well, fast forward to present day. My sister 32 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 1: lives with my ex husband and they are planning to 33 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 1: get married. This is torn up my entire family. My 34 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:57,240 Speaker 1: son knows that his mommy and his auntie don't get along, 35 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 1: but he does not know why. He contently asked me 36 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 1: why his auntie lives with his daddy instead of me 37 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 1: and him living with his daddy. All I told him 38 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:11,960 Speaker 1: is that his auntie hurt his mommy really bad. I 39 00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 1: have never said anything negative about his daddy to him. 40 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:18,959 Speaker 1: He's too young to understand. I have told my ex 41 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 1: that our son does not need to stay with him 42 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:24,920 Speaker 1: right now because it's confusing to him. My ex is 43 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:28,760 Speaker 1: so very nasty towards me and still has no remorse 44 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:31,600 Speaker 1: for what he's done, so he insists that he gets 45 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:36,239 Speaker 1: weakend visitation. For four years, I've been bitter and angry 46 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 1: and want to hurt both of them. Someone mentioned counseling 47 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:41,679 Speaker 1: to me, but I need a little more than that. 48 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:45,000 Speaker 1: I need peace in my life and in my son's life. 49 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 1: How can we move on from this and be happy? Wow, 50 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:53,800 Speaker 1: you're a really good person to not have you done 51 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:57,359 Speaker 1: something physical and violent to both of them. I must 52 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:00,480 Speaker 1: tell you some sort, you know, even if that's at 53 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:03,440 Speaker 1: a low level, some sort, I mean, I really have 54 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:05,840 Speaker 1: to commend you for that. I'm a person, I'm a 55 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 1: woman that has two brothers. I always wanted sisters because 56 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:12,919 Speaker 1: I always, you know, just wanted that closeness. She could 57 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:16,240 Speaker 1: be my bff, we could bond all of that. But 58 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:20,080 Speaker 1: clearly this is not the case in your situation with 59 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:23,320 Speaker 1: you and your sister. I mean, she's ratchet and trifling, 60 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:26,399 Speaker 1: she really is. I mean, calling your job to see 61 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:27,920 Speaker 1: if you were at work so she could be with 62 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 1: your husband and your bed. Now she's living with him, 63 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 1: you divorced because he was This is just awful, I mean, 64 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 1: and I can imagine how this has torn your family apart. 65 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:41,440 Speaker 1: And he doesn't seem to carry your ex husband. What 66 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:45,360 Speaker 1: effect this has on your seven year old son, That's 67 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:48,200 Speaker 1: really where your focus should be. How is he going 68 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 1: to come out of all of this? So to you, 69 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:53,200 Speaker 1: I gotta tell you, you gotta be strong right now 70 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:57,280 Speaker 1: for the both of you, because this kid is confused. Okay, 71 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:02,240 Speaker 1: so daddy's not living with us, mommy, but he is 72 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:05,280 Speaker 1: still in the family because he's living with Auntie. Now 73 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:09,640 Speaker 1: can you imagine how confusing that is for a child? 74 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 1: And then your ex husband wants visitation on the weekend, 75 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 1: so he's gonna be over there still with his daddy, 76 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:19,280 Speaker 1: your sister who now might be his step mom slash Auntie. 77 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 1: I mean, the confusion and craziness of all of this. 78 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 1: But you know he's gonna find out she's been to 79 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 1: force three times. He's gonna find out why. In just 80 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 1: a few short minutes. He will be I'm sure ex 81 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:40,039 Speaker 1: husband number four when this is all over with, because 82 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 1: she is trifling. She is ratchet, your older sister. I mean, 83 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:46,200 Speaker 1: of all the men in the world, she goes after 84 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 1: you're a man, your husband, I mean, and right in 85 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:54,240 Speaker 1: your face. Yeah, but how do you get through it? 86 00:04:54,680 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 1: This is a tough one. Right here, I'm gonna have 87 00:04:57,200 --> 00:04:59,640 Speaker 1: to tell you if you can, Yes, I want you 88 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:03,240 Speaker 1: to go to some counseling for sure, for sure for 89 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:07,239 Speaker 1: you and your son. And this is hard. You're gonna 90 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:10,160 Speaker 1: have to try to find it in your heart to 91 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 1: forgive them in this situation, because that's one of the 92 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:17,920 Speaker 1: cleanest ways you can move on with your life. I mean, 93 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:22,480 Speaker 1: that's hard. If you can. You know, I didn't say forget, 94 00:05:22,600 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 1: but you're gonna have to try and forgive them if 95 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:28,800 Speaker 1: you can. That's what I have for you, Steve. All Right, 96 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:32,600 Speaker 1: before I read this letter, I want to make this 97 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 1: statement right here that nothing I'm about to say is 98 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 1: what I really want to say. Nothing nothing you want 99 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:45,000 Speaker 1: to custom, Well, it's not so much to cuss, but 100 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 1: you do though. What I want to do to the 101 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:53,200 Speaker 1: both of them, I can't say on the radio or recommend. 102 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:57,040 Speaker 1: So let me take this approach to this. This woman's 103 00:05:57,080 --> 00:05:59,159 Speaker 1: been divorced and she's got a seven year old. They 104 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:03,360 Speaker 1: caught up in this functional mess her ex husband after 105 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:07,839 Speaker 1: your divorce. After the divorce, now this is after divorce. 106 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:10,919 Speaker 1: You find out that my oldest sister was having an 107 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:13,919 Speaker 1: affair with my husband. Okay, so I'm s now you 108 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:18,200 Speaker 1: found this out after divorce. This is your saving grace 109 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 1: in this whole thing that you found out after you 110 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:31,480 Speaker 1: got the divorce. God spared you knowing this during for 111 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:35,359 Speaker 1: a particular reason, and you turned to her for advice 112 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:38,479 Speaker 1: because she's been divorced three times and she did something 113 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:40,799 Speaker 1: to make you think she was Okay, when I come back, 114 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:43,400 Speaker 1: I'm gonna tell you the grace and all of this 115 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:46,359 Speaker 1: that you have. There is an upside today. Okay, Steve, 116 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:48,800 Speaker 1: hang on, We'll have part two of your response coming 117 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:51,840 Speaker 1: up at twenty three minutes after the hour right after this. 118 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:57,839 Speaker 1: You're listening, all right, Steve, come on, Let's recap today's 119 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:03,160 Speaker 1: Strawberry letter. We have am this woman been divorced four years, 120 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:06,800 Speaker 1: got the seven year old child who's in this dysfunctional mess, 121 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:11,600 Speaker 1: her ex husband. She found out after the divorce, that 122 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:14,680 Speaker 1: found out that her oldest sister was having an affair 123 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:18,400 Speaker 1: with the husband that you got the divorce from. Now, 124 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 1: there's a reason why you didn't know this during because 125 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 1: that would have been gut wrenching. I'm pretty sure it 126 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:29,720 Speaker 1: is now, but at least you got the divorce. Now, 127 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 1: during the divorce, she was your rock, and you turned 128 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 1: to her for advice, you know, because she's been divorced 129 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:40,680 Speaker 1: three times. I don't know what advice you get from 130 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:46,040 Speaker 1: somebody that's been divorced three times, except especially when you're 131 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:49,920 Speaker 1: going through a divorce, except just how to get through divorcing. 132 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:53,560 Speaker 1: That's the best advice, Especially when you find out that 133 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:57,000 Speaker 1: all the signs that were there that they had been 134 00:07:57,000 --> 00:08:00,320 Speaker 1: messing around, but you didn't notice. Your sister it was 135 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:02,440 Speaker 1: calling you at work. You thought it was a check 136 00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 1: on you, but you found out she was making sure 137 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:06,000 Speaker 1: you was at work so she could be along with 138 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:10,360 Speaker 1: my husband in our bed. Okay, now that's trifling. Let 139 00:08:10,440 --> 00:08:15,120 Speaker 1: me tell you what's wrong here. You have discovered after 140 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:22,080 Speaker 1: the marriage that two of the most despicable, trifling people 141 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:26,400 Speaker 1: were in your life. You had a bad husband, you 142 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:30,440 Speaker 1: got a bad sister, and it's led to a bad situation. 143 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:34,319 Speaker 1: These two people right here are the worst of the worst. 144 00:08:35,160 --> 00:08:38,840 Speaker 1: The blessing is you had that you got a chance 145 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:42,400 Speaker 1: to get away from one of them. Now, the problem 146 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:45,200 Speaker 1: with siblings is you don't get to pickle you're born 147 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:49,160 Speaker 1: with them. Because your sisters don't mean you have to 148 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:53,880 Speaker 1: be friends. You and your sister are not friends. Now, 149 00:08:54,280 --> 00:08:57,040 Speaker 1: Shirley said, a good thing. Shirley said, you have to forgive. 150 00:08:57,440 --> 00:09:00,280 Speaker 1: I don't know how you forgive this right here, but 151 00:09:00,400 --> 00:09:04,080 Speaker 1: you do have to move on from it now. When 152 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 1: it all came out, you say you felt stupid, And 153 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:11,560 Speaker 1: then it seemed as if my husband was relieved to 154 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:14,520 Speaker 1: give you the details. Well, number one, he had been 155 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:19,440 Speaker 1: living a lie. So giving you the details also was 156 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:23,600 Speaker 1: to make you feel a couple of things. Number one 157 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:27,200 Speaker 1: like something was your fault, and number two, it was 158 00:09:27,280 --> 00:09:31,560 Speaker 1: your sister's fault. See dudes that open up about stuff 159 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:34,880 Speaker 1: like this, it's to say to him, some of this, 160 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:37,200 Speaker 1: if I hadn't been around in this situation with you 161 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:39,559 Speaker 1: and your family, it were half of it is your 162 00:09:39,559 --> 00:09:41,679 Speaker 1: fault and the rest of it is your sister fault. 163 00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:44,600 Speaker 1: Now fast forward to present day. Your sister live with 164 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:48,240 Speaker 1: your ex husband and they planning on getting madded. How 165 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:50,800 Speaker 1: you think that's gonna work? As surely pointed out, she'd 166 00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 1: been divorced three times and she didn't slept with her 167 00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:58,439 Speaker 1: sister's husband. What type of blessing you think Finn to 168 00:09:58,520 --> 00:10:03,160 Speaker 1: be on this mess? Right? Thank God you out of it. See, 169 00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:06,920 Speaker 1: oftentimes when God pulls us through stuff. We mess up 170 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:11,640 Speaker 1: by dabbling back into stuff. Well, now your son is 171 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:14,760 Speaker 1: another problem. He knows that his mommy and his auntie 172 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:17,960 Speaker 1: don't get along. Well, that's cool, you can explain that. 173 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 1: Quit taking him over there. He constantly asked me why 174 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:23,920 Speaker 1: his auntie lived with his daddy. Ads a little bit 175 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:26,600 Speaker 1: of trouble. And if he's seven, he going to school, 176 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:29,800 Speaker 1: somebody else gonna ask too, instead of you wan't to know, 177 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:32,160 Speaker 1: instead of why you and him don't live with your daddy. 178 00:10:32,559 --> 00:10:35,480 Speaker 1: I told him that his auntie hurt his mommy really bad. 179 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:38,320 Speaker 1: I've never said anything negative about his daddy to him. 180 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:40,840 Speaker 1: He's too young to understand. I've told my ex that 181 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:43,280 Speaker 1: our son does not need to stay with him right 182 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 1: now because it's confusing to him, which is a true statement. 183 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:52,400 Speaker 1: But now he has no relationship with his father, which 184 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:56,960 Speaker 1: is probably worse. So I don't know that sister has 185 00:10:57,040 --> 00:10:59,880 Speaker 1: caused some confusion in him as to why his dad 186 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:02,920 Speaker 1: is staying with his auntie and not staying with him 187 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:07,280 Speaker 1: and his mama. That confusion is going to exist whether 188 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:10,040 Speaker 1: he sees his dad or not. But him not seeing 189 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:14,800 Speaker 1: his father he needs that. He may not be a 190 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:19,000 Speaker 1: good husband. He could be a good father, though my 191 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:22,160 Speaker 1: ex is so very nasty towards me and still has 192 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:25,160 Speaker 1: no remorse for what he's done. Or he's nasty towards 193 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:28,240 Speaker 1: you because that's a defense mechanism. He got to be 194 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:31,800 Speaker 1: nasty towards you because you have every right to be 195 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:36,320 Speaker 1: nasty towards him. But kindness kills baby. Or if you 196 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:39,080 Speaker 1: would to just be kind to him and his ex wife, 197 00:11:39,400 --> 00:11:41,959 Speaker 1: him and your sister, it would kill him. Now that's 198 00:11:41,960 --> 00:11:43,959 Speaker 1: gonna take a lot for you. And I'm not sure 199 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:46,559 Speaker 1: you the person that has that, because for years I've 200 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:48,400 Speaker 1: been bitter and angry and I want to hurt both 201 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 1: of them. See. Somebody told you that you should go 202 00:11:50,800 --> 00:11:53,760 Speaker 1: to counseling, and you really should, because you need to 203 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:56,960 Speaker 1: talk over this with somebody to discuss your feelings. But 204 00:11:57,040 --> 00:11:59,640 Speaker 1: I need a little more than that. Well, the only 205 00:11:59,640 --> 00:12:03,520 Speaker 1: thing or than that is God. See. And the one 206 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:05,920 Speaker 1: thing I'm gonna tell you, some old people say sometimes 207 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:08,480 Speaker 1: you got to let go and let God. You gotta 208 00:12:08,559 --> 00:12:11,720 Speaker 1: take this situation that you're going through that's bigger than 209 00:12:11,760 --> 00:12:14,440 Speaker 1: anything any of us have for you, and you got 210 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 1: to turn it over to God. I ain't joking, man, 211 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:19,840 Speaker 1: You really got to turn this one over to God 212 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:22,600 Speaker 1: because you need peace in your life. And I know 213 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 1: no better way to get peace in your life through 214 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:28,720 Speaker 1: a relationship with God. I don't know a better way. 215 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:32,840 Speaker 1: It's my peace in my life and in your son's life. 216 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:35,320 Speaker 1: How can we move on from this and be happy? 217 00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:37,880 Speaker 1: You move on to it because He got you out 218 00:12:37,920 --> 00:12:41,560 Speaker 1: of it. Stop dabbling in it. You got to play 219 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 1: the game now, Okay, this your daddy boom and separate yourself. 220 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:47,960 Speaker 1: You gotta get to that point or you're gonna lose 221 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:51,280 Speaker 1: your mind. You need counseling and you need prayer. Yep. 222 00:12:51,559 --> 00:12:54,480 Speaker 1: Post your comments on today's Strawberry Letter and Steve Harvey 223 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:57,920 Speaker 1: FM on Instagram and Facebook, and don't forgot to check 224 00:12:57,960 --> 00:13:00,800 Speaker 1: out the Strawberry Letter podcast on demand and now coming 225 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:03,360 Speaker 1: up at forty six minutes after the hour, we're gonna 226 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:07,400 Speaker 1: do Ask the Cello with Steve Harvey. Right after this, 227 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:10,720 Speaker 1: you're listening to the Steve Harvey Morning Show