Your masterfully crafted story clarifies a principle I never managed to explain so well in years of doing therapy.

Taking responsibility for another's feelings is more than just a flavor--it's the very essence of codependency. That's what causes young (and older) girls to tolerate physical beatings from boyfriends: "He wouldn't hit me if he didn't love me."

And "Not my circus, not my monkeys" may just end up on a poster for my wall. Bog knows, I may preach it, but I need to hear it for myself from time to time.