One of the most precious blessings in the world is to grow up in a family that you feel confident will love and accept you no matter what.
In these households, secrets that would normally be nightmarish to reveal can be introduced in a relaxed, supportive environment with the understanding that the family can get through whatever problem one of their members has together.
But unfortunately, all too many of us know that not all families work like this. For some, deviating from what their parents expect from them can get somebody punished, ostracized, and even outright disowned.
In that most extreme situation, the demoralizing knowledge that you may never see your family again is only compacted by the impression that there are limits to their love. And as one woman's story illustrates, that pain only makes it more galling when that family suddenly finds it convenient to forget they did this.
