My best friend offered me $10,000 to ease my financial stress. It nearly ended our friendship, but honesty brought us back together.

The author (not pictured) turned down a $10,000 gift from her friend.

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• I was stressed about money, and meanwhile, my best friend made six figures.
• She offered me $10,000 to ease my stress, but it wounded my pride, so I didn't take it.
• The offer almost cost us our friendship, but opening up about our feelings brought us back together.

In India, I stretched my husband's modest income (which, back in 2018, was about $6,000 USD) like a tightrope ...