I've spent the past couple of years on this relationship myself! Your post is brilliant. I hadn't considered it exactly from this perspective before now. Similar perspectives, yes. I would say the difference is in where I came from being slightly different. I led a life of controlling the inner child. I rarely allowed for indulgence and, if I did, I hid it so nobody would know but me. That led down a path of shame and guilt. Either way, as I gave myself permission to understand this relationship better, I ended up coming to much the same conclusions that you did.

You've given me more to chew on with this post and, for that, I thank you. :)