It’s true.
For better and for worse, we carry these two things with us where ever we go. No matter how much we love them, are frustrated by them, or even hate them at times, they always follow us.
I don’t fight these two things. In fact, I accept them both in my life with great joy and celebration. The more immediate question is how to deal with them once they are out and not behaving the way we think they should.
Family is always a consternation. Not that I ever wanted John-Boy as a son or Mary Richards as a sister, but situations arise and you expect that your family will act appropriately.
You know , the way you do.
But since they won’t, it’s up to you dance around their actions. You own your shit at this point, and they theirs. Sometimes confrontation is in order, and sometime retreat is your best option. Either way your family lasts forever. On second thought, maybe it’s not a dance, maybe it’s letting go of our own arrogance.
You know arrogance. We all have it. I read once that the reason we see people as ignorant is because of our arrogance. I believe this is true, and perhaps, just putting this out there, arrogance isn’t always a bad thing. Perhaps, it’s arrogance peppered with understanding , empathy, or compassion that we need to strive towards. And if we can put these things together, we can work through our families actions with grace and ease.
And ff you buy that, I’d like you to considering buying my car. It’s only $12,000.00. I only use it to go to the store twice a week, and on Sundays for church. Really.
OK, the clutch is going, the frame is rusting through, and well, it’s not my car. It’s my son’s car. AND HE NEEDS TO MOVE IT OUT OF OUR PARKING LOT BEFORE I GET YELLED AT AGAIN.
I don’t have a car.
Family. And no, neither one of us is this cute anymore.
Words are another problem. We say thousands of them everyday. The average is about 15,000 a day. Women say more than men. Women can speak an average of 20,000 where men will frequently speak as little as 7-9000.
(INSERT JOKE HERE)
Hahahaha, that was a good one. Thanks for sharing that. I’ve never heard THAT one before.
Anyway, we don’t, as a species, manage our words well. We have been given this gift that, supposedly, elevates us above many of the other creatures on the planet, and we vomit out tripe on a minute to minute basis. I do it, you do it, Ann Coulter and Michelle Bachmann REALLY DO IT. That one person you work next to, well, they’re the worst. You know, blah blah blah……
Oops. there I go, using my 20,000 up.
What we need to do is slow down a bit. Think, ever so slightly before we speak. And if we’re facing an emotional situation, think twice. Words can be saviors or knives. It’s really your choice. I have a difficult time believing people when they say “I didn’t know that would hurt your feelings.” They were your words and your choices, You must take ownership of them. Once spoken they are out there for eternity, and will be remembered longer than you realize. Things I’ve said to my son, both positive and not so, have come back around to me as quickly as a sun shower. Sometimes he doesn’t remember me ever saying them.
Unfortunately, sometimes he does.
Forever is a long time. Make the most out of words and family. What I have realized is that’s quality, not quantity.
And I only used up about 600 words to write this.
Reblogged this on My Life As A Slinky and commented:
I wrote this in October, but I think it needs repeating with the holidays looming overhead. Be kind to one and other, and choose your words well. They are what set us apart from the phytoplankton and what is left of he Tea Party. Have a great day.