Bilbo Baggins said of his family members, “I don’t know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.” J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
This is likely true of many of us. As time goes by, we grow apart from family members. We form new friendships and these essentially replace the old relationships in terms of who we spend time with and with whom we share our weekly lives. This doesn’t mean, of course, that family members are forgotten and have no value. They just sometimes become relegated to the periphery of our lives.
People change. People grow. Some people actually mature and become folks that have new and improved qualities… but if we do not spend time with them, we never really get to see that. Of course the opposite can happen – they can become less likeable over time; but we still gotta love them.
I encourage you to reconnect and rediscover your nuclear as well as extended family. If there are past hurts still rumbling around in your heart, forgive them. We all make mistakes and selfish choices… and we all wish people would forgive and forget ours. Be gracious and give them the same warm hand of forgiveness that you desire.
Especially the peculiar ones. Even though it might be hard to like them, we can still love them… and in many cases they are more separated from family than the rest of us. Often times, they are the most lonely. Reach out to them. Embrace their quirkiness. Love them.
I mean, come one, don’t you have your own quirky tendencies?
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For His glory,
Jim