Have you ever been in a situation where every one of your options is a compromise, that there is no way to do right by everyone?

Nearly every character in the novel finds themselves in this situation. Have you ever been in a situation where every one of your options is a compromise, that there is no way to do right by everyone? How did that make you feel?

I think that is the nature of compromise. There is no way to do right by everyone. And what we lack is the ability to come to a place where everyone gets something they want and no one gets everything and no one gets nothing.

Compromise is not a dirty word. Governments around the world should try this, including our own.

Anyone who has parented more than one child has been in that situation! Sometimes you have to navigate the best options available to you for the good of all concerned without putting any one individual's needs, wants, or desires ahead of anyone else's. It can involve very mnor or significant issues. As an attorney, my responsibilities included negotiating settlements and I always advised my clients that if the parties to a lawsuit entered into a settlement, no one would leave feeling completely satisfied because that is the nature of compromise. Everyone has to sacrifice in order to achieve the goal of putting a dispute behind them and moving on with their lives. So the short answer is . . .yes. Many times. All I could do was my best.

Absolutely! My role as a wife, mother, neighbor, citizen all require compromise. Some more, some less. Finding a neutral ground that doesn't require a surrender of anyone's deep moral guidelines for life can be very challenging. However, I have never experienced a lack of options to pursue. There seems to always be a road out of a situation. It is an American liberty that has never been really challenged.