Dear Joanna2310:

You are welcome and please do post again, anytime. I hope you find some of the Buddhist principles helpful to you- I sure do. The main principle that is very helpful to me is to be AWAKE to reality as is. And reality as I know it is that we as individuals need to take care of ourselves first, protect ourselves from unnecessary pain, that is, suffering. Pain is an unavoidable part of life, but suffering is that optional pain. If these people are causing you pain, that is optional pain because you can keep them out of your life, and so I hope you do.

anita