June 19, 2008

maybe when "I" means "all of us"...


maybe instead of thinking something is funny
I should be concerned
maybe instead of talking so much
I should be listening
maybe instead of thinking that I know what your life is about
I should be working on getting to you know you better
maybe instead of taking you for granted
I should be more thankful for everyday with you
maybe instead of assuming you are okay
I should be asking
maybe instead of thinking my problems are the most important
I should be helping you with yours
maybe instead of only seeing what I think is important
I should be concerned about your thoughts, too
maybe instead of always being right
I should be okay with being wrong
maybe instead of going at a speed too fast for most
I should slow down and wait
maybe instead of saying something that might hurt your feelings
I should be quiet and just enjoy your company
maybe instead of thinking and worrying that I'm doing some things wrong
I should realize that I have done some things right
~~~~~
All of us are in some kind of a relationship, many of them long term, where maybe we catch ourselves not being quite as wonderful as we were at the beginning.
Or trying as hard.
But
relationships are hard.
It's easy to take them all for granted.
Whether you are a spouse, a friend, a child, a co-worker, a parent, an in-law or a sibling,
you're in a relationship,
and relationships take time and work,
always
no matter what.
And as I wrote this,
not even sure what prompted it,
and I thought about the relationships I have,
the relationships I live with everyday,
I decided that I've been blessed...
really blessed,
with each and everyone I have
and to take any of them for granted,
without working on them every now and then
is like buying a plant
and never watering it.
So from now on
I'm going to keep my watering can
close at hand.



7 comments:

  1. that's a mighty good reminder to slow down and nurture those relationships--they are what holds us together.

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  2. beth, what a great idea! i've been running around, feeling so stressed by our building project and i definitely haven't been all that appreciative towards my husband. i'd better take good care of him or it'll never be finished! :-)

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  3. Great post. A lovely reminder.

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  4. well said...sometimes not saying anything at all, just listening, watching, sending love to another...is all it takes...thanks for sharing this part of you...

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  5. How very eloquent, Beth, and such wonderful food for thought. I love the watering can connection. Sometimes we do get so into our own stuff, it's hard to get out. This is really a good reminder for us all -- and beautifully written.

    Have a lovely weekend listening and discovering!

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  6. I see career opportunities here! Book writer, or perhaps life coach? I want to send up a zeppelin that will tell others "go read this amazing blog". But then I would spend a lot of time explaining what a blog is...hence the need for a career. Or maybe just the satisfaction that you have touched others and made us think is good enough. Yep, I bet it is.

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  7. beautiful reminder to tend the garden, not just complain about the weeds.

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**I love reading the comments you leave, as they make me feel like we're sitting in my kitchen, having a cup of tea, discussing life and wondering where all the time has gone ...beth