Family & Friends -

Family. Friends. Framily

Family and friends—for better or worse, they know us better than anyone. They’re our tribe. They celebrate us, they support us, they comfort us. They offer perspective when our own is out of balance. They may have two legs or they may have four.

They also know when to push our buttons. They can bring us out of a bad state of mind or send us into one by uttering a single comment. Only the two-legged relationships send us into a bad state of mind, though—you’d never get that from a four-legged companion:)

The posts in this section are here to talk about the effects that our closest relationships can have on us. Who doesn’t love our good ones? We cherish them and count on them. They help us grow as we expose more of our inner selves, and we feel more comfortable taking on risk that we otherwise might have avoided.

But what about the more fragile relationships? The ones that can sometimes be downright ugly? They’re there and they can’t be denied. And while I can’t say that I celebrate them, I do try to move past them and grow from them. And in the end, be thankful for them.

There’s a saying, “You’re either a blessing or a lesson.” Appreciate them both, because ultimately—they’ve made you into the person that you are.

Until next time,