My mother had been telling me for years that kindness and weakness were not the same thing.
“Gabby,” she would say, “you can have a good heart without allowing people to treat you badly.”
I always promised her I understood.
Then I would go straight back to behaving as though keeping everyone happy was my responsibility.
That afternoon, however, I was about to learn a lesson I would remember for the rest of my life.
I was traveling by train to celebrate my mother’s birthday. She had invited the family to dinner, and I had promised to arrive early to help her prepare the food.
I had bought a window seat because I wanted a peaceful journey. I imagined listening to music, watching the countryside pass by, and perhaps closing my eyes for a few minutes.
I even brought a small gift for my mother and tucked it carefully into my bag.