Family and Friends
I ALWAYS MAKE TIME FOR MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS
As time marches on, I think more and more about the true value of family and friends. I think about where I would be without my family, without my friends, and I have concluded that my life would look very, very different from what it is now. My friends and family are my everything,
I don't have a lot of friends, in fact, I have very few true deep friendships. But I have enough, and I have a community that is willing to step up and help when I am in need.
But in order for this to be true, I have to make time for them. I cannot live my life all in my head and my business, but I must give to others in order to then recieve.
As you walk through this week, remember that to foster those relationships God has given you. Go home to your family. Go spend time with your friends. Your jobs and businesses may go away and change, but your family and friends are who gets you through those hard times.
Remember to take time for those people who are closest to you.
Love them with everything you have!
MONDAY
“This spiritual love is the kind of love I would desire us to have. Even though in the beginning it is not so perfect, the Lord will gradually perfect it. Let us begin by using the suitable means, for, even though the love bears with it some natural tenderness, no harm will be done provided this tenderness is shown toward all.”
To me, this quote speaks to our hesitation to try something because we are not good at it. It can be hard to love, to stop and just sit. You don't have to love perfectly to love. You don't have to be the perfect friend or family member to try. Just keep trying. Over time, you will learn, you will get better, you will grow. The more you try, the more God will help lead you to where you need to be. Take the time to be there for your family, your friends. Just try. Over time, you will get better. Listen to God, listen to how he leads you. Have faith.
TUESDAY
“The friendship which draws human beings together in a tender bond is sweet to us because out of many minds it forges a unity.”
I cannot tell you how many times I have been able to have light bulbs go off simply because I talked through something with a friend. It's amazing how I can work through a problem simply because I had another mind to think with. It brings us closer, creates a bond. And with that bond, we grow. My best friend is someone I met over 17 years ago - we went through college together, through major life changes, she has seen my four children grow up. And each stage of life brings more joys, heartbreaks, stress, and happiness. But we are now so united and close. Simply because we chose to trust one another and let each other in. Friendships can be truly beautiful for the spirit - make time for them!
WEDNESDAY
“The most extraordinary thing in the world is an ordinary man and an ordinary woman and their ordinary children.”
So many times we are bombarded by images and messages of success, affluence, prosperity. But what is success? What is prosperity? Why do we feel so pressured to live a life that society tells us to? I feel like the idea of mediocrity is looked down upon. I believe that a life of mediocrity (according to society's standards) is truly a life of prosperity and success. You don't need a lot of money, a fancy car, or a distinguished job title. You don't need to be a manager, CEO, or top of the ladder to be successful and affluent. I find that the more I try to go under the radar, the more happy I am. It's okay to be ordinary. It's okay to seem invisible to most. You are home, loving your family, and doing everything with love - you have succeeded. You are extraordinary.
THURSDAY
“It would be better for the sun to be extinguished than that we should be deprived of friends. Better to live in darkness than to be without friends.”
I want you to think about all those who are struggling most in life. The criminals, the homeless, the broken, the tired, the lonely. They are usually lacking the same thing - true friends. While there are always exceptions, most often, those who struggle the most are deprived of friends. They are deprived of the love and support that true friends give. Pray for them. Pray for those who are struggling with their family, the friends, and accepting love. You don't even have to be any of those to struggle though - you can be lonely without even knowing, and be without true friends without even really realizing it. Go home, spend time with the important people in your life. Fill your cup with love, fill their cups with love. The world is a better place when there is love and friendship. We don't have to live in the dark.
FRIDAY
“In the family we learn to love, to forgive, to be generous and open, not closed and selfish. We learn to move beyond our needs, to encounter others and share our lives with them. That is why families are so important in God’s plan.”
It seems cliche, but truthfully, I have grown more as a mother than I did without my own children. I have grown as a person, as a mother, and as a wife. We learn so many skills when we interact with our family, unlike when we interact with clients or colleagues. Colleagues come and go, clients can come back, but we usually don't interact with them as much as our own family or friends. Being able to go home and learn these skills when we are most tired, most overwhelmed, most in need of a break, is when the most learning happens. God knows what He is doing - trust Him. Go home, go learn. Grow in God's image.
SATURDAY
“Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do…but how much love we put in that action.”
I feel like St. Teresa of Calcutta is quoted most often when it comes to family. She is known for speaking on how important family is and how it needs to come before most everything else. We sometimes get bogged down with the idea of being at home, trying to live up to what the saints want us to. But really, we need to just be there and love. Love with all your heart, and the rest will follow. You cannot love well though, if you are not home to love. Don't worry about it being enough - you don't have to do fancy things, or feel like you have to have plans. Just be present and love in whatever way you can in the moment. That will be enough.
SUNDAY
“There is no greater consolation than the unfeigned loyalty and mutual affection of good and true friends.”
I mentioned my best friend earlier - this quote embodies what we have. To know that I have someone I can text or call, any time, any day, is something truly special. We are opposite in many ways - she isn't Catholic and we have many opposing views on politics and other topics, but remains is something I have yet to find with anyone else. We have an undeclared mutual respect for each other. We respect and value that we each have our own thoughts and ideas, but we love each other beyond any of those things. The love I have for this woman is that of a sister - God never gave me a biological sister, but he gave me this friend. To know that I have someone who loves me (and my kids) in that way is something I truly wish for every single person on earth. Imagine how much nicer this world would be if we all had those kinds of friends?! Even those hurting others the most - they probably need it more than I do! We need more love, more friendship, more mutual affection. Go - go spend time building those friendships.
So as you proceed through this week...
...remember that you only have one life on earth. Go love - love your family and your friends. Go spend time with them. You love isn't just for them, but for all the family members that come after you. How you interact with and show up for your friends and family now, can directly impact future generations and how your current friends and family treat those that come after them. Love and friendship is generational - how can you help those alive now love those who come later?
