Reader’s Reflection: Chapter 22 really hits home for me. I have such a different impression of it than I would have had if I’d read it as a teenager. Throughout my life, I’ve had several friendships that were extremely close and strong while we were children; and I’ve watched many of them stretch thin and nearly disappear because my friend and I made different choices in our lives. The biggest ones involve child rearing philosophies, career paths, and what a marriage vow means. There are many things I’ve said NO to, that my friends have said YES to, and this becomes a huge elephant in the room. We both have good reasons for our choices, and neither side is right or wrong, it’s just what’s right for me and what’s right for you; nevertheless, I find that our having made these diametrically opposed choices, now makes it difficult to relate to one another, to confide in one another, and it definitely drives an emotional wedge between us. Elizabeth is holding out for love, waiting for a marriage proposal she can say YES to with all her heart; Charlotte is grabbing onto a man who she knows doesn’t love her, and who she personally finds annoying, but who will keep her safe from destitution. It’s easy to understand where both women are coming from. I guess the best we can do in our friendships is to stick with what feels right to us, and love our friends and respect their choices, even if they’re different from ours.