IT'S NO FUN BEING THE TARGET of mean or unfair treatment. Is there anything you can do when someone mistreats you for no apparent reason?
When I met my future mother-in-law for the first time, I was caught completely off-guard by her immediate hostility and unkindness. It seemed that I was not the daughter-in-law she wanted—if she wanted one at all.
My emotions ran the gamut—indignation, anger, defensiveness. Then, after the marriage, I tried winning her acceptance through extra measures of friendliness and tolerance. None of these strategies worked. Finally, I withdrew from the relationship as much as possible—a fairly easy feat since we lived far apart. The problem, I felt, was hers.
