Former US First Lady Mentions What Obama Told Her After She Lost Her Mother Many Years Ago

• Michelle Obama recently reflected on the profound transition following her mother’s passing, revealing how her husband, Barack Obama, bluntly reminded her of the inevitable shift in family leadership
• Speaking on the IMO podcast, Michelle shared how therapy is helping her navigate this new phase, embracing the challenges of being an “empty nester” and redefining her personal priorities
• Meanwhile, she also addressed speculation about her marriage, laughing off rumors and firmly setting the record straight

Michelle Obama has candidly opened up about the profound impact of her mother’s passing, revealing the brutally honest words her husband, former U.S. President Barack Obama, shared with her in the aftermath.

Speaking with her brother, Craig Robinson, on the May 7 episode of the IMO podcast, Michelle, 61, recalled the conversation with Barack, who pointedly told her, “You're next up,” after Marian Robinson's death, according to Independent UK.

“I guess if anything, with mom's loss, I think that—thank God you're my big brother and I have a husband who's older,” Michelle stated. “Barack was saying, you know, ‘Well, you're next up.’ And I was like, ‘I'm not really ready to be next up,’ I told him, ‘You're next up and Craig is next up. I delegate that power to you.’”

Transition to adulthood

Michelle Obama emphasized how the loss of a parent marks a profound life shift. She reflected on how their family dynamic changed following the death of both parents, Marian Robinson in May of last year at the age of 86, and Fraser C. Robinson in 1991 at 55.

“That’s really when you become an adult, is when your parents are not in that spot of managing and maintaining,” Michelle shared.

“But that’s going to happen at some point where each of us, in our own lives, we become the parent, we become the convener, we become the glue.”

Michelle and her brother admitted that stepping into their parents’ roles was a daunting task. “It’s a major shift in your life,” Michelle continued.

“I don’t care how old you get. Mom and dad are mom and dad. Even when I was taking care of mom, I still gotta listen to her. I can sort of boss her around but in the end, she’s my mother.”

Therapy and life transitions

As she navigates this new phase, Michelle Obama disclosed that she has turned to therapy, viewing it as a necessary step in her personal growth.

Speaking on The Jay Shetty Podcast, she shared insights into how therapy is helping her adjust to life as an “empty nester” and as she heads into her 60s.

“At this phase of my life, I’m in therapy right now because I’m transitioning, you know? I’m 60 years old, I’ve finished a really hard thing in my life with my family intact, I’m an empty nester, my girls are in—you know, they’ve been launched,” she explained.

Michelle said she now has “other voices” to talk to and a “new person that’s getting to know me” as she works through emotional challenges. She admitted that, for the first time in decades, she is solely responsible for her decisions.

“I now don’t have the excuse of, ‘Well, my kids need this’ or ‘My husband needs that’ or ‘The country needs that,’” Michelle noted.

She described therapy as a way to “unwind some old habits and sort through some old guilt,” particularly in relation to her late mother.

“I am an advocate of it. Everybody needs to find their form of it, the best way they can,” Michelle urged.

Addressing rumors about her marriage

During a separate discussion with entrepreneur and investor Steven Bartlett, Michelle Obama set the record straight on speculation surrounding her marriage to Barack Obama.

“If I were having problems with my husband, everybody would know about it,” she laughed, dismissing rumors that surfaced following her absence at Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Bartlett pointed out how some in the media interpreted her decision as an indication that her marriage was in trouble, with speculation that a divorce was imminent.

Michelle, however, made it clear that there was no truth to such claims.

Michelle speaks on marriage with Obama amidst speculation

Legit.ng earlier reported that Michelle Obama has publicly addressed persistent rumours that she and her husband, former US President Barack Obama, were heading for divorce.

Speaking on Work in Progress, a podcast hosted by actress Sophia Bush, the former First Lady dismissed the speculation surrounding her marriage. She explained the societal expectations placed on women who make independent choices.

Source: Legit.ng