What a great example you share, Lisa Mac. I appreciate your vulnerability in explaining what “they don’t have to understand” looks like in real life. It’s a painful conclusion to come to–because we truly WANT people to understand for our sake as well as their own!–but we can’t always make it happen. And that has to be okay. I hope you’re doing well now.

They DON’T have to understand. It immediately brought to mind a break-up with a guy that I really loved, and he loved me, but he clearly could not handle that I had a son with my husband (before we divorced.) And that could not be okay with me, for my son’s sake.

He kept showing up, wanted to get back together, came to rmy workplace looking fantabulous, of course, so I’d hear about wonderful impression, and boy, did I.

So, with the guidance of my therapist, it finally clicked. She summarized what I was doing by continuing to talk to him; she said: It’s like you’re asking him for permission to break up with him, and he’s never going to give it to you. It was sad. It was true. And he didn’t have to understand.

Thank you-
Lisa Mac

Thanks for the feature, Richella. And yes to Dallas Willard! He helped me through the years in so many ways too.

And thanks for joining the Grace at Home party. I’m featuring you this week, Lisa–I so appreciate all that you share.

Um, yes. Absolutely, friend. When we fully appreciate His heart toward us, everything and everyone else falls into their rightful place.

I appreciate your tender words.

I’ve just collected the mantras from different places the past few years, and modified a few of them to fit my own situations as needed.

This is a novel thought: “we don’t even have to tell our side of the story every time!” I’m kind of guilty of thinking I should explain every time.