It is okay to struggle.
We all do.
It is not okay, however, to take our struggles out on those around us.
We do not have to bear our burdens alone.
But, we cannot force others to share in our struggles unknowingly or unwillingly.
Whether implicit or explicit, we need consent when sharing our pain.
Shared pain, after all, is a form of intimacy.
And, intimacy is not something that can be demanded of others.
It must be requested and agreed upon.
Failing to do this risks violating the recipient’s trust and their integrity.
It also exposes us to the potential for more hurt and disappointment when our pain is not received in the way we thought or hoped it would be.