Dear Annie: For years, I went all out to celebrate my husband’s birthday, Father’s Day and Christmas. I took the time to pick out thoughtful gifts, cook his favorite meals and make him feel special. I did it because I loved him, and because I believed that showing appreciation mattered.

But when my birthday or a holiday came around -- nothing. Not even a card or a simple “Happy Birthday.” Year after year, I quietly swallowed the hurt, but inside, it felt like a knife in my heart. I began to dread my own birthday, knowing it would come and go like any other day.

One year, I couldn’t take it anymore. On his birthday, I did nothing. No cake, no gift, no “Happy Birthday.” When he got home from work, he looked around, confused. Eventually he asked, “You didn’t get me anything for my birthday

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