I recall Wayne Dyer speaking about this very topic: the idea that we all have these family members who push our emotional buttons. Why is that? I don’t know. Maybe your uncle and my aunt provide opportunities to grow. Love your answer to your uncle, Joe — lol! In my 20’s-40’s, I was very much about “showing ‘them’ but it only felt good in the moment and ended with lots of messy drama.

Knowing it’s not our job to fix or change anything or anyone brings such peace. There’s such a great paradox here: we are so powerful when we surrender to those things we can’t control. By transcending the “snow globe” of others’ negative behaviors, we can truly enjoy our inner world. Justifying and defending is no different than hitting our head against a brick wall…