Recently I’ve made a really big move, abandoning my Houston residency and my New York escapade for a temporary living arrangement with my sick mother. To me this was simple, after all family does come first, but to others this move was a heroine act. I’m constantly being praised for my unselfish, giving, and honorary decision. One might assume that I had the happiest childhood so in turn it was easy for me to come to my mother’s rescue—so not true. While my childhood wasn’t a nightmare on elm street (I really did grow up on elm street) it certainly wasn’t a Mary Poppins adventure either. I made my move because my mother needed me, the same way I needed her when I was a child. Many people grow up and runaway due to dysfunction, but dysfunction does not just lie within your family; dysfunction resides everywhere especially in many work places i.e. our government, our society, and our school districts. The excuse of escaping the crazy dysfunction from your family is so not a good one.
This post is not merely to tell someone to be there for their family when someone falls ill. It’s mainly about being ride or die for your family. Women are ride or die for their “no good” men so why do we consider our family to be so dispensable? Where did we go wrong with all of these split and unbalanced family situations? I have friends that would rather spend Thanksgiving alone than be with their family. Hell, I was practically depressed when I went one Christmas without going home. Now don’t get me wrong, after about four or five days with my family for the holidays, I’m usually ready to bounce, but I won’t deny that I’ll always be there to the rescue, ready to sacrifice for my family. I did say sacrifice and not enable. No I’m not dishing over unnecessary money to a cousin with a shopping habit. Every lesson is meant to be taken with discretion.
I’ll give you a simple and easy first step: Make a mental note to call or text your family at least once a week. Ask how their week has been; what’s new with their job; how your niece and nephew are doing; or what future plans have they been currently working on? Basically, close the lack of communication and support gap. After all, God chose these particular people, with these particular personalities for a reason and God does not make mistakes.
Ask yourself these questions: How have I been towards my family lately? Am I still harboring ill feelings from the past? Can I initiate a truce between myself and a sibling? And most importantly, do they know I love them?
This post is not merely to tell someone to be there for their family when someone falls ill. It’s mainly about being ride or die for your family. Women are ride or die for their “no good” men so why do we consider our family to be so dispensable? Where did we go wrong with all of these split and unbalanced family situations? I have friends that would rather spend Thanksgiving alone than be with their family. Hell, I was practically depressed when I went one Christmas without going home. Now don’t get me wrong, after about four or five days with my family for the holidays, I’m usually ready to bounce, but I won’t deny that I’ll always be there to the rescue, ready to sacrifice for my family. I did say sacrifice and not enable. No I’m not dishing over unnecessary money to a cousin with a shopping habit. Every lesson is meant to be taken with discretion.
I’ll give you a simple and easy first step: Make a mental note to call or text your family at least once a week. Ask how their week has been; what’s new with their job; how your niece and nephew are doing; or what future plans have they been currently working on? Basically, close the lack of communication and support gap. After all, God chose these particular people, with these particular personalities for a reason and God does not make mistakes.
Ask yourself these questions: How have I been towards my family lately? Am I still harboring ill feelings from the past? Can I initiate a truce between myself and a sibling? And most importantly, do they know I love them?