Family

A pretentious word -- family.  For some it means a whole lot.  For others, it means disappointment.  For those of you that have close family I'm sure you can not image life without them -- like me.  My family is a mixture of comradery, love, and jealousy.

While I understand the comradery and love, I just don't get the jealousy part.  I'm not one of those.  I find family to be one of the biggest blessings we can have in this life.  Why anyone would get jealous of one family member spending time with another one, giving gifts between one another, or just going out to dinner a few more times than others of the family I say this:  So.  I love it when my family does things together.  The more the merrier.

Take Christmas for instance, the whole concept seems to elude people.  You're suppose to give gifts.  It doesn't matter the size, the price tag, or how many.  It truly is the thought that counts in my book.  I'd rather receive a handmade trinket from a two-year old with virtually no monetary value whatsoever -- but filled with the love of giving, than four plasma TVs.

My mother gets so hung up on being "fair" to everyone -- meaning she spends the same on each of us kids.  Bah!  Just in case she ever reads this I say this:  It doesn't matter to me, Mom.  Give to whom you want to, as much as you want, and without the side tabulation.

Further, if you want to take one grandchild out to a special dinner, just between you and them, three days a week and only take the other grandchildren out once a month, do it.  I love that you have a great relationship with that grandchild.  Life is too short to concern yourself with the trivial.  If that grandchild grows up and forgets you, then it truly is their loss.  Take them out four times a week.  If you want to be around each other that much my response is, Great!

But no, others in my family keep score.  They want it all to be even.  They balk at the slightest hint of favoritism.  Some even dwell on it so much that they create scenarios that either slight them or their kids in some form or another.  To scrutinize a parent to such a degree only worsens the love of family.

Personally, I don't understand it.