My mother-in-law pointed at the door during New Year’s dinner and snapped, **“If you don’t like my rules, get out!”** – Welcome

pass.”

“Why?”

His answer came immediately.

“Because you always come back.”

The words were soft.

That was what made them devastating.

Dad had never believed excluding me wouldn’t hurt.

He simply believed hurting me would have no lasting cost.

Because I always came back.

Birthdays.

Holidays.

Sunday dinners.

Family problems.

I always returned.

I had called it forgiveness.continue reading …