When Someone Else's Chaos Invades Your Peace

You set a hard boundary years ago because you had to. Someone's dysfunction was bleeding into your family, and you cut it off. That boundary worked. Your kids are safer. Your gatherings are calmer. You finally have peace.

Now that person says they've changed. And maybe they actually have. But something in you still refuses. And everyone — your parents, people who care about you — they're saying that makes you unforgiving.

Here's what nobody's talking about: reconciliation might be the right move. But it will cost you. It will cost you real things. And you don't owe anyone that price without thinking hard about it first.

Dave and Vicki work through what happens when someone genuinely changes but you still don't trust them. You'll learn why being vague about the cost — just saying "things are different" — keeps trust broken. You'll see why a defensive reaction is human, not failure. And you'll get specific about what you actually don't trust so you know whether re-engagement is even worth the risk.

This isn't about forgiveness or bitterness. It's about honesty—about what it cost you, what it might cost again, and whether you're willing to step back into the mess with your eyes open.