Family Story

Sadly in life I've found that the people who make me the angriest are my family members & friends. Don't get me wrong, I get mad at lots of people, but the intensity I feel toward these two groups is something different. I think it's because I care about them.

Family, our greatest critics. The in-laws are the worst because, while they are family, they still are not related to you by blood. I may hold back or forgive more easily if we are actually blood related, or I may not. In-laws do become true family, but they will never share my bloodline & will always be different, therefore, less easy to forgive. Blood relatives get more of a pass, but not a complete one. I've never been one to hesitate to distance myself from my family. Sometimes I regret this, but later I realize, some people just belong in my past, & the melancholy passes.

Friends are usually the ones we expect the least problems from & in my case, when they do disappoint me, it's heartbreaking. I recently lost a friend & while at first I was very angry, now I feel regretful & see the fun times may have outweighed the bad. Only time will tell on that, the bad times can always get worse. I hate to lose a friend, even a friend who I had not known long. A funny fact about me is I want people to like me. I may sometimes claim not to care, but I crave closure, as all people do, & having any relationship end badly is a huge let down.

So here's to all the people who hurt us, lie to us & disappoint us. The only ones I ever recall doing it are the ones who are close to me. A stranger, co-worker, waitress or cashier could never leave me with regrets about what I said to them or what they said to me, but those in my circles who hurt me, they leave scars that will last a lifetime.

Next time you think about lashing out at a friend or relative, think first. Do you really want to do this? Is it worth it? Odds are it isn't & you'll both pay the same high price.