RE: The Truth Tellers...

What a great story! Abusive relationships are very toxic and I am proud of you for leaving from such a thing. Quality friendships don't need constant pampering and I also appreciate a direct person than someone smiling and talking behind my back. What I think it's harder to achieve is to combine directness with diplomacy and emotional care. We suffer when someone speaks an ugly truth and not many are willing to open their eyes and make a change. Life is short though and spending years trying to change others is a waste of precious time.