The Pharaoh Within

A young man remembers …

I used to ask my Mom, “Did you really want to have six kids?” And she would give me an answer like “Man proposes; God disposes!” Then I’d say, “Tell the truth, Mom did you really want six?” And she would say, “No matter how many children you have it’s always just the right amount.” Of course, that was when she was in a good mood — the side of her personality we kids really liked. But when we were acting up and driving her crazy, her other side would respond — the bad mood side. And her answer to my question about kids would be “I had to have six children because God wanted to punish me, that’s why.”

When I had grown into adulthood, I happened to see Mom watching a TV show about schizophrenia. One of the guests was saying that she had a “multiple personality.” She said she had raised six children, but her multiple personality…