My Father Lived in a Shoebox

My mother lied, not only to me but to everyone in her life.

The man she married lived in a shoebox of photos.

I was dismayed as to why he had abandoned us.

I wanted to hear his side of the story.

I wondered what had happened to him.

I looked for him.

When I was 20 my mother told me he wasn’t even my father.

I was crushed.

Misattributed Parentage Experience (MPE) is the discovery that one or more of a person’s parents is not their biological parent.

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Or more aptly for me — Non-Paternity Event (NPE): is when a child discovers their presumed father is not their biological father, which can lead to emotional distress and identity confusion.

Sandra Topper is a Semi-Retired Aromachologist & Perfumer

Working now on a Memoir: My Mum said. "You can Figure it out when I'm Dead"

Family Secrets & Generational Trauma

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