Family Feud

It’s true that we don’t choose our families, and often they are people we wouldn’t necessarily want to be friends with and/or have little in common with, but we’re generally stuck with them anyway (unless we cut off contact, which is extreme, but sometimes the only possible way forward).

There are good things about my relatives, but there have been a number of stressful family situations over the years, and although I love them, I can’t say it is easy or relaxing to spend time with them. So while I’m looking forward to seeing them next month, I am also beginning to feel a sense of unease about it. I wish family members could accept us for who we are, even if we are different than they would have liked. In general, if we all just took people for who they are, rather than being disappointed that they are different than we had planned or hoped for, we would have fewer feuds and fewer stressful and upsetting family visits.

--Curly