I went to a party with my brother and his girlfriend, and they'd warned me she would be there. The woman was horrible to me growing up - emotional, verbal, and once physical abuse. Constantly told me I was fat and ugly (I am thin and conventionally attractive), accused me of stealing/hoarding food (I didn't), and spun wicked stories to my mother (who never believed me about the abuse and still downplays it).

I didn't flinch. I walked right into that party, gave warm hellos to everyone, and looked her right in the eye. Then I proceeded to ignore her for the remainder of the night. Feels like such a win! Normally I would have been a wreck and fallen into disordered behaviors - obsession about my looks, drinking, avoidance.

She looks sick and miserable now. She and her husband both are dying of alcoholism, and it shows. I'm not delighting in that, but it does feel like some kind of karma. 

She didn't beat me this time.