Family dinners at my parents' house have become this weird theater where everyone performs their best life and we avoid talking about anything real. My dad makes the same jokes, my mom asks surface questions, and we all pretend my brother's drinking isn't obvious. The harder we try to have a 'nice time,' the more exhausting it gets.
More people experience this than they realize.
The family has weaponized pleasantness against intimacy, creating a prison of politeness where authentic connection cannot breathe.
“Where Are You with Birdwatching as practice?”
If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.