As she spoke, I realized this wasn’t about selfishness but about pressure—pressure to look strong, pressure to keep up, and pressure to pretend she had everything under control. We talked for a long time, and slowly the tension softened. She explained that most days she felt like she was barely staying afloat and didn’t want to burden our already busy family.
I told her that asking for help isn’t a burden; deception is. She nodded, wiping her eyes, and apologized for putting me in uncomfortable situations. I reminded her that we’re family—not a performance, not a competition, not a scoreboard of who handles life the best.
