"Taking responsibility for another's feelings is more than just a flavor--it's the very essence of codependency."

BINGO! Very well said, Edward. That was a truth that took me ages to grasp; in fact, even though I outgrew the habit years ago, it wasn't until sometime in just the past few weeks that I was finally able to put that word, "codependency," to the habit. Thank you for your thoughts, and thanks for reading!