When I Was Four, My Mother Left Me Alone in a Church—Twenty Years Later She Returned Crying, “We Need You”

That is the point.

Not to spend forever performing gratitude.

To live.

I became protective of Hannah’s right to be ungrateful occasionally.

Once, at twelve, she complained for fifteen minutes because Leo would not buy her the phone she wanted.

My mother said:

“After everything you’ve been through, you should be grateful for what you have.”

I interrupted.