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.