Live and Love…I love life and getting the opportunity to open my eyes and start fresh every day. However, some days are downright crummy, and I mean you just stepped in dog crap crummy. I am talking about you wanna scream and “slap somebody” crummy. We all get those days right because we’re human and emotions can get out of control when probed. Sometimes, there are days when people tell you to “take the high road” and dig deep because this is not who you are, and most likely it is not. Again, we are human and there are days when we are not our best, so why should we be the best despite the circumstance? I feel like one should be because for myself I stand for many things and coming out of character takes a hit to me and my family rather than the situation.

Short story: I go hard for my family because we are a very small unit. Most of my family live out of town, so it is just us and we started a business that has turned into family. We have been a family for almost 8 years or so and we tend to be around each other year-round. Well, this year some of our family members decided to go in another direction. It wasn’t that they decided to leave, but it was the sneaky way it was handled. When you consider someone your family you would think someone would at least give you the heads up just out of consideration. The reason why it took a hit to the family was that we placed an announcement months prior and no one spoke up. So, when the planning began to take place for the new year they were a part of the count until an outside person revealed to us that we were going somewhere else. I know you might be thinking “people are grown and can do what they want.” We have thought of everything a person would say to respond in this situation but think about your family for a moment. If your family left you out of something you wouldn’t feel some kind of way? I am not talking about the people that have already fallen out with. I’m talking about some of your closest cousins you hang out with all the time or your favorite aunt you see every weekend. My question is where is the loyalty? We don’t take other people into consideration anymore and then when you begin to distance yourself now the guilt sets in and you want to check on the group and keep in touch. Why? when you have decided to go your way without sending a bird, an email, a text, or a paper airplane? I am not the one to treat you like you treat me because blessings flow and you can miss blessings trying to get your lick back, but it’s the common courtesy that family gives to one another in life. We have lost so much of our allegiance that we don’t take the time to talk and just share where if you have my back I have yours in this world. In other words, I thought we were better than that!

Gems:

Unfortunately sometimes we get hurt. By family or people who have become family. I will mourn the lost of friends, and family. I will make the best of a bad situation because I know we sometimes lose things-friends, family but I will gain strength from friends and family who honor their word, their commitment and our relationship. We will persevere-we will soar.

Tips: How do you keep being the person you are by “taking the high road” when that family member wants to reach out?

1 When the person texts- one may still respond, but it is short and to the point.

2. Meet Up- politely decline or if you choose to continue the relationship keep the conversation casual but not personal.

3. Needing favors-don’t put yourself in a position where you are still doing things that are not convenient to you and your family.

4. Sharing information-when asked how things are going with the family they decided to depart from-(KISS) keep it simple stupid they should no longer be privy to successes or failures of the group they can find in the streets if it means that much.