important conversation was still ahead.
Her mother called.
Rather than immediately discussing the practical details, her mother asked whether something had happened. She wanted to know whether the woman was upset with a relative or whether there had been an argument.
The question revealed how easily a change in tradition can be mistaken for a personal statement.
In many families, gift-giving is connected to affection. When someone changes the rules, other relatives may wonder whether the decision means that their relationship has changed too.
The woman explained that nobody had
