I am married and do not live there, either.

I also do not live in the family with grandparents, aunts, uncles, (insert supporting actor role relative) pop in on the regular (read— at all) to “help” or to “bolster my sagging spirits” (my gosh, I cannot even imagine ever having a loving, caring, non psychopathic relative always available to pitch in).

Or the family with Grandma living in the mother-in-law suite, always there with homemade treats at the ready and perfect wisdom solving whatever situation is unfolding that day; from mean girls and bullies in locker rooms, drug dealers at baseball practice and condom malfunctions to sexual harassment at the office and being passed over for promotions.

Not to mention financial insolvency, which when I was a single mother in the early 1990’s meant digging through the couch cushions for gas money, hoping there was at least two bucks in change to be found.

My throat closed when I read the “babe, you doing okay?” I cannot imagine that pathetically… which is sad …also not uncommon for my peers in long term marriages, from what I have read.

Edit for typo.