多谢小钊！

Thank you for your very positive comments. I agree with most of them. But you don't know me very well. I think this traumatic experience didn't make me bitter or angry or confused. At least, if I was, I have outgrown it. I also don't want to consider my family as victim of that event, but more like beneficiaries because that event definitely changed my life and made me the way I am now. I do agree with you that I should reach out to my mom. I didn't do a very good job at that. I think I even resented her in some way when she was living with us here. In writing this down, I realized a lot of things and understood her better. If that's the only thing I learned from this writing, it was a worthwhile effort. 
thanks again! have a great week ahead!