Nearly everything has been said. In your last sentence you ask is this a wasted life. You dedicated your life to being a good mother and sacrificed your own happiness to keep your family happy. No, yours is not a waste of life, but you do need to regain control of it in a way that gives you the respect you deserve and need and also gives you the freedom to be the person you want to be. About your negative feelings towards your parents, perhaps due to the culture they grew up in, they didn't know any other way. You say that you cannot change things because of the ill effects this would have on your children. Most likely your parents felt the same way ... that if they didn't arrange your marriage according to their culture, their actions would have ill effects on the rest of your family . It is a vicious circle. Sometimes the only way to change things is to break away and start anew. It is difficult, but the rewards can be great. I left a violent, bullying, wealthy husband because I feared for my life. The day I left I had all of �3 to my name and 3 young children. But, we were happy and safe and that was the most important thing. My now grown up children still say this was the best decision I ever made. That was many years ago. Today I share my life with the most wonderful man. He came to live with me two years ago this month. In all our time together we have never had cross words with each other. I am now 58 and feel so deeply loved by my darling RATTER, who is 49. So, it is never too late to change your life for the better. Seek advice from a support group as recommended. But please do not give up on yourself! You deserve to be happy! For that it is NEVER too late. Best wishes :o)