Chapter 119
Mother-Daughter Midnight Confessions
One night when the old countess, in nightcap and dressing jacket, without her false curls, and with her poor little knob of hair showing under her white cotton cap, knelt sighing and groaning on a rug and bowing to the ground in prayer, her door creaked and Natásha, also in a dressing jacket with slippers on her bare feet and her hair in curlpapers, ran in. The countess—her prayerful mood dispelled—looked round and frowned. She was finishing her last prayer: “Can it be that this couch will be my grave?” Natásha, flushed and eager, seeing her mother in prayer, suddenly…
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Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Protection Network
Draw three circles representing different areas of your life (work, family, finances, health, etc.). In each circle, identify one person who has the courage to tell you hard truths—and one person you feel responsible for protecting. Write down one specific situation where you might need to be the 'bad guy' to help someone you care about.
Consider:
- •Consider whether the people who challenge you are actually looking out for your best interests
- •Think about whether your protective instincts come from love or from your own fears and need for control
- •Ask yourself if you're avoiding difficult conversations that could prevent bigger problems later
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when someone's 'no' saved you from a mistake you couldn't see coming. What did they understand that you didn't? How can you develop that same protective wisdom for others?
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