To outsiders, Andrea’s decision may seem disproportionate.
Skipping Thanksgiving? Canceling Christmas? Cutting herself off from family gatherings?
But to Andrea, this wasn’t about winning or losing an argument. This wasn’t about a single political issue. It was about fundamental values.
“I will not unwrap gifts from people who support policies that hurt the vulnerable.”
“I refuse to smile across the table at those who voted for actions that strip away women’s reproductive rights.”
For her, the election wasn’t just a political moment — it was a moral dividing line. A turning point. A moment when she felt the world around her had changed in ways she found terrifying.
Her personal identity, her ethics, and her deepest beliefs felt at risk.
And she couldn’t pretend otherwise.
She Still Loved Him — That Made It Harder
In her essay, Andrea makes something very clear:
Her husband was not a cruel man.
He wasn’t unkind or malicious.
He wasn’t indifferent to her feelings.
On the contrary — he was compassionate, thoughtful, gentle, and deeply loving.
