Family boundaries and celebrations: Why exclusion from a dinner plan led to a difficult decision regarding a birthday event

better than to intervene.

In the elevator, I finally allowed myself a deep breath, then another. My heart was pounding a frantic rhythm against my ribs, but by the time the doors opened at the street level, my hands had stopped shaking.

A small café sat directly across the cobblestone street from the restaurant. It offered the perfect vantage point. continue reading …