“Immediate Family Only,” My Daughter-in-Law Texted—That Week, I Made a Purchase No One Expected
I replied, “Understood,” but inside, it hurt deeply—not just disappointment, but the sting of being made invisible by the family I had supported. Since Catherine’s death, holidays were fragile lifelines. I imagined joyful gatherings, grandchildren I hoped for, and the warmth of my son’s home—all sustaining me through lonely nights. When I was excluded from…