Choosing Community

I went to a seminar last week.  It was focused around reaching goals at the gym, but I think that it applies to a lot of life.

One of the points was to choose your community.  Be around people who lift you up rather than tear you down.

I feel very fortunate that I have mostly friends who do that.  I think we are pretty good at lifting each other up.  I am reminded to focus on being the person who lifts my friends up.  I hope I'm at least half as good at it as they are to me.

But there are people in my social circle who don't.  They don't have any care of what my goals are and in fact have recently shown they don't care about me much at all.  These are the people who get to eat my dust.

There is no reason to be mean to them and ditch them as friends.  But these people no longer need to be in my influential circle of friends.  These people are going to be hearing less of me.  It will be interesting to see if they notice.

Mother's Day

Oh man, this is a weird post to write.  I'm going to complain a little and it makes me feel selfish and petty.  But I feel it needs to be said and shows that I have some work to do on raising my kiddos.

I was almost completely ignored on Mothers Day.  I say almost because both boys did their chores without me nagging them at all.  One woke up and gave me a tight bear hug and told me "happy Mother's Day".  The other gave me a "hearty high five".  And that was it.

The youngest went with me to pick out flowers for MY mom.  But neither boy put any effort into giving me a card or... anything.  Now, someone pointed out that they don't really have funds to buy me anything, and they need rides to and from a place where they would purchase anything.  I counter with, what the heck happened to a handmade card (I have a BUNCH of crafting supplies and they know where they are and how to use them), a hand picked flower, or a coupon book for a foot rub, walk in the woods, and vacuum the stairs?  That's the kind of stuff I did for my mom.  And the kind of stuff they used to be encouraged to do.

My feelings are hurt.  Which is why I feel selfish.  I don't NEED to gets cards and gifts.  It would have been nice to feel recognized, however.

At the end of day, I have great kids and they do love me.  They are *mostly * responsible.  They are *definitly* caring.  They are hilariously funny.  I get a lot of hugs and snuggles from one, and long tight hugs from the other, daily.  I get to hold their hands or their arm when we go places.  They aren't too offended to be seen with me most of the time.

Someone has to point this out to them.  That someone will be me.  There are other holidays coming up and they have girlfriends they need to learn to think about.  Imagine when they are adults and don't know these things...  Better late then never, I suppose.  Here comes some lessons young men.