Category: Family Dynamics

I did not have bridesmaids at my own wedding. I just wanted my sister to stand next to me. I thought this was a very simple logistical decision. I quickly learned that skipping a tradition makes people deeply uncomfortable. My friends were fine with it. The problem was my extended family. An aunt pulled me […]

The most difficult conversation I ever had with my mother happened over a plate of cold toast. She handed me a piece of notebook paper with twelve names written in blue ink. They were her neighbors. They were people she played cards with on Thursday afternoons. I had not spoken to any of them in […]