Be Kind

I was cleaning out some papers last week when I came across a letter my mother wrote many years ago when she thought she was very ill. In this letter, she told each of us how much she loved us, and asked us to be kind to our father and each other. It is now 20 years later, and they are both gone, but her words stay with me. As soon as my dad passed away the veneer of civility in our family disintegrated. One of my sisters and I have stayed close and have tried to remove ourselves from the fray. It amazes me that someone would risk losing the only family they have just to make sure that they get their fair share. God forbid that one person should have one dime more than the next. There are a few things of my parents that I would like to have- the dining room table where we shared family and holiday meals, and where my grandfather presided over Saturday night dinners, but otherwise I've lived without it this long, I can live without it! My sister and my children mean more to me than any piece of furniture. It is so bad, that one of my sister's complained because I took a bunch of paper plates from the basement, I guess she wanted to get the fair market value from them. By the way,I took them to our church, we sponsor several families in a program called Family Promise. The families basically live in the church basement for a few months while they are seeking help with jobs, skills, finances etc. The paper plates are there for backup, so they don't have to wash dishes- I guess I should write my sister a check for her fair share! Anyway, back to my original thought- after all is said and done, if we are not kind to each other what good is anything else- I would argue that our possessions will crumble and fall around us, but kind words and deeds will sustain us through eternity. I just sounded religious, and I am not religious at all. I guess that means it's time to stop writing!