Does Being the Main Character of Your Life Make You an A$$hole?
The science behind being empathetic while setting strict boundaries for your mental health.
“But Maa, I don’t want cousin Lizzy to come with us.”
I stomped my feet and pouted, hoping my mother would give in to my request.
I was twelve years old, on a vacation with my uncle, aunt, and cousin Lizzy, and we were planning a trip to the zoo. It was supposed to be a family trip, just my parents and brother. But Lizzy wanted to tag along. She loved the zoo, she told us at breakfast, and my dad invited her to join.
Alarm bells started ringing in my head. I liked hanging out with Lizzy. I liked her neat little pigtails and her polka-dot skirts that twirled when she walked. But the zoo trip? That was sacred territory. No distractions, no ice cream stops, no interruptions. Just me and my wide-eyed fascination with the animals. I wanted to soak it all in, uninterrupted.
And so, I threw a tantrum.
My mother didn’t listen. Neither did my father. They wanted us cousins to bond. They promised it would be fun.
“But Lizzy is only interested in ice cream and street food. She’ll ruin the zoo day for us.”
