“No,” she said.

 

“Give me his phone number,” I joked, as if I might call her brother and set him straight about how families should act during the holidays. The sad thing is, there was a time when I might have done just that: tell a complete stranger what he ought to be doing. What a charmer I must have been.

 

I like to think I've learned a few things over the years. Simply put, I need to concentrate on my own conduct, not someone else’s. If I pay attention to how I treat those around me, my actions will speak volumes about the values I hold dear. I can’t orchestrate how my friend’s brother will behave—much less determine how my own siblings might act—but I can control how I comport myself. And minding my own manners is challenge enough.