Standing Up for Kindness

What made you finally stop tolerating disrespect from your partner? My girlfriend,

Scarlett, made it clear she'd rather be anywhere else as we pulled up to her sister's

house for her kid's fifth birthday party. Scarlett hates kids with every fiber of her being.

I practically jumped out of the car. The second we arrived, she positioned herself by the drinks,

scrolling her phone while I gravitated toward the kids' bounce house. That's when I saw

him, little Theodore, sobbing near the gift table, his Spider-Man balloon

floating away. I didn't think. I grabbed another balloon, twisted it into

a terrible dog shape, crossed my eyes, and made it bark. Theodore's tears stopped.